The bad news from the IEA this week is that, globally, CO2 emissions increased by 410 million tonnes, or 1.1%, in 2023. The good news from the IEA is that global energy-related CO2 emissions rose less strongly in 2023 than the year before even as total energy demand growth accelerated. IEA analysis shows that the rise was lower than in 2022 thanks to expansion of technologies such as solar, wind and EVs. The new findings come from the IEA’s annual update on global energy-related CO2 emissions – and the inaugural edition of a new series, the Clean Energy Market Monitor, which provides timely tracking of clean energy deployment for a select group of technologies and outlines the implications for global energy markets more broadly. According to the IEA, advanced economies saw a record fall in their CO2 emissions in 2023 even as their GDP grew. Their emissions dropped to a 50-year low while coal demand fell back to levels not seen since the early 1900s.
The IEA explains the rise in emissions this way: “An exceptional shortfall in hydropower due to extreme droughts – in China, the United States and several other economies – resulted in over 40% of the rise in emissions in 2023 as countries turned largely to fossil fuel alternatives to plug the gap. Had it not been for the unusually low hydropower output, global CO2 emissions from electricity generation would have declined last year, making the overall rise in energy-related emissions significantly smaller.”
In upcoming weeks there are three events not to miss. In early March there is the European Energy Efficiency Conference which is part of the annual World Sustainable Energy Days. In May there is Australia’s 2024 Energy Efficiency National Conference. In June, eceee holds its bi-annual summer study. Check out details on the three events here.
In planning travel over the upcoming weeks, here is some useful news to help you along:
- The inews website provides Europe’s most exciting new rail routes for 2024.
- For winter walking, the Responsible Travel website gives you many interesting options.
- The EuroBikes website describes winter cycling tours.
- There is always the option of virtual tourism at the Xplore Nature Channel that EiD first promoted back in September. There are now 129 videos. Find out more about the channel here.
Helen Keller (1880-1968), the American author, political activist, and lecturer who was the first deaf-blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree, gives us her views on thinking: “People do not like to think. If one thinks, one must reach conclusions. Conclusions are not always pleasant.”
EiD welcomes your views about this week’s selection of posts on the zero-carbon energy transition:
- New EEA briefing on the ‘just transition’ to sustainability
- New report discusses the challenges that Bangladesh is facing to adapt to climate change
- How effective is carbon capture and storage as a means to decarbonise our economies?
- Germany plans to allow carbon capture and sub-seabed storage technology in certain industries
- New analysis helped design a new climate intervention app that can empower people to make more environmentally conscious decisions at governmental, community and household levels
- The health benefits of cycling
- Climate litigation – flagship cases illustrate certain tactics which maximise the chance of a win
- Disproportionate focus of manufacturers on large SUVs and premium models means we have too few mass-market cars
Please send your comments on any of the posts. Please follow us on X at @EnergyDemand and @rodjanssen. Please recommend EiD to your friends and colleagues.
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Energy in Demand - Sustainable Energy - Rod Janssen 