Global carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from fossil fuels have reached a record high in 2024 but total emissions from fossil fuel and land use changes over the last decade have stabilised, according to the Global Carbon Budget.
The report is produced by leading research international organisations, including Australia’s national science agency CSIRO, as part of the Global Carbon Project. It provides an overview of the global carbon cycle, including both natural and human-induced emissions.
CO₂ is a long-lived greenhouse gas, and along with methane and nitrous oxide, it leads to human-driven climate change. It can persist for hundreds of years in the atmosphere.
Global Carbon Project executive director, CSIRO’s Dr Pep Canadell, says the report shows global CO₂ emissions from fossil fuels continue to rise despite significant increases in the adoption of renewable energy.
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“We have seen a 0.8% increase in global CO₂ emissions from fossil fuels in 2024, compared to 2023,” Dr Canadell says.
“This equates to a total of 37.4 billion tonnes of CO₂ projected to be emitted in the atmosphere from fossil fuel use this year alone.”
Looking at 2024, CO₂ emissions from fossil fuels and land-use changes are projected to increase.
“Globally, emissions from land-use change have decreased by 20% in the past decade but are rising this year, along with fossil fuel emissions,” Dr Canadell says.
“We have observed over the past two years how the capacity of natural CO₂ sinks on land which absorb carbon from the atmosphere, mainly forests, have declined due to drought in the Amazon and fires in Canada.
“The CO₂ sinks have begun to recover but the data underscores how vulnerable they are to droughts and extreme heat, which are increasing with global warming.”
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Key findings
- The growth in 2024 fossil emissions comes on top of a 1.4% growth in 2023 emissions.
- CO₂ emissions from land-use changes such as deforestation have on average declined over the past decade. This means total emissions from both fossil fuels and natural sources have stabilised over the past decade.
- Globally, fossil fuel CO₂ emissions come from coal (41%), oil (32%) and gas (21%).
- China contributed 32% of total global CO₂ emissions, followed by the United States (13%), India (8%) and the European Union (7%).
- By the end of 2024, CO₂ concentrations are projected to reach 422.5 parts per million, which is 52% above pre-industrial levels (1750).
- Australia had a 0.4% decrease in CO₂ fossil fuel emissions in 2023, with this downward trend expected to continue.
