Despite the growing urgency to address the climate crisis, global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels are set to reach an all-time high in 2023, according to a new report.
This alarming trend underscores the need for immediate and decisive action from world leaders, who have so far failed to match their rhetoric with concrete measures.
Lisa McCormick, a prominent environmental advocate, expressed deep concern over the inaction of world leaders at the ongoing COP28 climate conference.
“While world leaders waste time talking about the climate at COP28 without actually doing anything about the emergency, new data shows carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels are at an all-time high,” said McCormick.
The report, published in the journal Earth System Science Data, reveals that global CO2 emissions are expected to peak at 36.8 billion tonnes per year in 2023. This represents a 1.1% increase from 2022 and a 1.4% increase from 2019, the pre-pandemic year.
The report’s lead researcher, Pierre Friedlingstein of the University of Exeter (UK), expressed dismay at the lack of progress in reducing emissions.
“The effects of climate change are evident all around us, but action to reduce carbon emissions from fossil fuels remains painfully slow,” said Friedlingstein.
The findings of the report add to the growing body of evidence that the world is dangerously off track to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels.
McCormick urged world leaders to take immediate action to reduce emissions, emphasizing the need for a transition away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy sources.
“We cannot afford to waste any more time. The time for action is now,” she stressed.
“The inaction of world leaders in the face of the climate crisis is not only a moral failure but also a threat to the future of our planet and its inhabitants,” said McCormick. “Leaders must rise to the occasion and take decisive action to avert the catastrophic consequences of climate change.”