Fossil fuel pollution hits record high: Research

Planet-warming carbon emissions reached a new high this year, according to research published Wednesday by the Global Carbon Project.

The total emissions for the year are projected at 41.6 billion metric tons, an increase of 1 billion metric tons from 2023, according to the research.

Much of the increase has been driven by increased emissions from both fossil fuel use changes in land use, such as deforestation. Extensive drought conditions have compounded these emissions by increasing the output from deforestation and forest fires.

The report indicated that emissions from each of the categories of fuel responsible for most emissions increased. Coal-related emissions, which comprise 41 percent of all fossil fuel emissions, are projected to increase 0.2 percent in 2024, while oil emissions, which represent 32 percent of emissions, will increase an estimated 0.9 percent, and gas, which represents 21 percent of emissions, are projected to grow 2.4 percent. Researchers noted that the final numbers could represent a decrease in coal emissions.

Broken down by the three countries responsible for the largest share of emissions, Chinese emissions are expected to increase by 0.2 percent, although like coal emissions, the range of possibilities includes a decrease. U.S. emissions are projected to fall 0.6 percent, while Indian emissions are projected to grow by 4.6 percent.

The report comes against the backdrop of the COP29 United Nations climate summit in Azerbaijan, the final summit of President Biden’s term. Biden, who attended the meeting in 2021 and 2022, is not attending for the second consecutive year, nor is Vice President Harris, who attended in 2023.

Ben Goloff, senior climate campaigner at the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement that the report indicates the urgency of climate action in the waning days of the Biden administration.

President-elect Trump has falsely claimed climate change is a hoax and has vowed to remove restrictions on the fossil fuel industry as president.

“In Baku, Biden should roll out an ambitious, science-based climate target and get lifesaving funding out the door to finance an equitable renewable energy transition across the world,” Goloff said in a statement. “Back home, Biden needs to follow through by rejecting the CP2 gas export terminal and the Dakota Access oil pipeline before he hands the keys over to Trump and his Big Oil billionaire buddies.”