03/03/2023
Source: Energy & Management Powernews
The International Energy Agency has released its report on global energy-related CO2 emissions last year. According to the report, it increased by 0.9 percent, up from 6 percent in 2021.
Greenhouse gas emissions from power generation and industrial production increased by 0.9 percent in 2022, the International Energy Agency (IEA) stated in its annual report, which was presented in Paris on March 2. In light of the Ukraine war, quite a few countries have resorted to increased coal use. On the other hand, the energy crisis led to savings in many places and an accelerated shift to climate-friendly energy sources, according to the IEA's rationale for the moderate rise in emissions. In 2021, the increase had been 6 percent after the Corona pandemic.
This put global CO2 emissions at a new high of more than 36.8 billion metric tons in 2022, even though electricity generation from renewable sources saw the largest growth ever. The IEA therefore called for more speed in the energy transition, as only then would climate change targets be achievable.
"The impact of the energy crisis has not led to the sharp increase in global emissions initially feared, thanks to the outstanding growth of renewables, electric vehicles, heat pumps and energy-efficient technologies," commented IEA Director Fatih Birol. Without clean energy, the increase in CO2 emissions would have been almost three times as high.
Companies should change
Companies using fossil fuels were making record sales and needed to take their share of responsibility - in line with their promises to meet climate targets, the IEA chief urged. "It is critical that they review their strategies to ensure they are aligned with meaningful emissions reductions," Birol said.
How coal, gas and oil are faring
CO2 emissions from coal reportedly rose 1.6 percent last year as the global energy crisis in Asia and, to a lesser extent, Europe triggered a fuel switch from gas to coal.
Natural gas emissions fell 1.6 percent, it said, as supplies tightened following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and European companies and citizens scrambled to reduce their gas consumption.
CO2 emissions from oil rose even more than those from coal in 2022, by 2.5 percent, according to the data. But they still remained below pre-pandemic levels. About half of the additional greenhouse gas emissions from burning oil and oil derivatives compared with 2021 were from aviation, which continued to recover from the pandemic, according to the IEA.
Why the EU emitted less
In the EU, emissions fell by 2.5 percent, it said, as record use of renewables helped keep coal consumption from being as high as expected. A mild start to the European winter and energy conservation in response to the Russian invasion also contributed, he said. The IEA report on CO2 emissions for 2022 is available online in English.
Author: Susanne Harmsen
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