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APFILE - The Warrick Power Plant, a coal-powered generating station, operates April 8, 2025, in Newburgh, Ind. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel, File) Global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions rose 2.3% in 2024 to reach a record 57.7 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent, with India recording the largest year-on-year increase in emissions, followed by China, Russia, Indonesia and the United States, according to a United Nations report released on Tuesday. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) warned that the world is “heading for a serious escalation of climate risks and damages” as emissions continue to climb.The report projects that average global temperatures are set to rise by 2.3°C to 2.5°C above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century — even if countries fully implement their latest climate action plans. This would put the world well off track to limiting warming to 1.5°C, the key threshold under the Paris Agreement.The analysis excludes emissions from land-use change and forest cover due to data uncertainties, and instead focuses on fossil fuel-linked CO2, methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases.China, the US, India, the EU, Russia and Indonesia remain the largest emitters. Of these, the European Union was the only major economy to reduce emissions in 2024. Indonesia recorded the fastest growth rate in emissions at 4.6%, followed by India at 3.6%, while China’s emissions grew 0.5% — slower than the year before.Per capita emissions in the US, Russia, China and the EU remain higher than the global average of 6.4 tonnes CO2e, while India and Indonesia stay below it.Live EventsThe UNEP Emissions Gap Report 2025 cautioned that without stronger climate pledges and implementation, warming could climb to 2.8°C under current policies. While temperature rise projections have fallen from 3°C-3.5°C a decade ago — showing some progress — the report says global emissions must fall sharply to stay within Paris Agreement limits: by 35% by 2035 to hold warming to 2°C, and by 55% to remain within 1.5°C.“National climate plans have delivered some progress, but it is nowhere near fast enough,” said UNEP executive director Inger Andersen. “We still need unprecedented emissions cuts in an increasingly tight window.”The report comes ahead of the UN climate conference (COP30) in Belem, Brazil, scheduled for November 10-21. Despite a Paris Agreement deadline to update national targets, only 64 countries — representing 63% of global emissions — had submitted new climate pledges by September 30. India is expected to submit its updated 2035 target in the coming days.The report also warned that countries are not on track to meet even their existing 2030 pledges, widening the implementation gap. “Nations have had three attempts to deliver promises made under the Paris Agreement, and each time they have landed off target,” Andersen added.(With inputs from TOI)Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now! (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel) Read More News onglobal greenhouse gas emissionsUN Environment Programme reportIndia emissions rise 2024COP30 climate conferenceParis Agreement climate pledgesclimate risk escalation (Catch all the Business News, Breaking News and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online....moreless (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)Read More News onglobal greenhouse gas emissionsUN Environment Programme reportIndia emissions rise 2024COP30 climate conferenceParis Agreement climate pledgesclimate risk escalation(Catch all the Business News, Breaking News and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online....moreless Prime ExclusivesInvestment IdeasStock Report PlusePaperWealth Edition123View all Stories
