Infographic – Post-Covid CO2 Emissions Rebound

Click on image for full-size view. (Statista)

6 Nov. 2021. As the world’s economy recovers from pandemic restrictions, rising carbon dioxide emissions are also contributing to the global climate crisis. On Thursday, the business research company Statista published a chart with these data from the International Energy Agency, compiled for delegates to the UN global climate summit known as COP26, now underway.

The IEA data report on annual CO₂ emissions, measured in billions of metric tons or gigatonnes, while the Statista chart displays year to year changes in total emissions. The data and chart show annual CO₂ emissions declined from 33.4 to 31.5 gigatonnes, from 2019 to 2020, largely due to mandated lock-downs for slowing the spread of Covid-19. So far in 2021, as vaccinations increase and lock-downs ease, emissions rose to 33 gigatonnes, almost reaching 2019 levels. The previous annual high point in CO₂ emissions occurred in 2018, at 33.5 gigatonnes.

IEA’s analysis also breaks down the source of global CO₂ emissions by type of fuel. Most of the increased emissions in 2021 are a result of burning oil and coal in roughly equal amounts, and natural gas to a lesser extent. The agency also says the U.S. and China are responsible for much of the gains in emissions.

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• Infographic – Climate Disasters Rising for Next Gens
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• $100M Challenge Seeks Carbon Removal Technologies

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