Despite dire warnings about the impacts of %ClimateChange on the planet, fossil fuel consumption and emissions worldwide hit record levels in 2023, according to a new report.
The annual Statistical Review of World Energy report says that carbon dioxide emissions from the use of fossil fuels, which are believed to cause climate change, grew by 2% last year to exceed a record 40 giga tonnes.
Globally, oil and coal use continues to rise as the use of cleaner burning natural gas stalls, says the report.
Despite government pledges to reduce the use of fossil fuels, emissions from the energy source have increased by 50% since the year 2000.
News of the growth in fossil fuels comes as global temperature increases reach 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit), which is the threshold beyond which scientists say impacts such as temperature rise, drought and flooding will become more extreme across the world.
Global energy consumption hit an all-time high of 620 Exajoules (EJ) in 2023, while carbon dioxide emissions exceeded 40 giga tonnes for the first time.
While the use of fossil fuels continues to decline in regions such as Europe, where its share of energy consumption fell below 70% last year, it is on the rise in developing nations such as India and China.
Fossil fuel use accounted for almost all energy demand growth in India last year, said the report. In China, fossil fuel use rose 6% to an all-time high.
