2021’s global carbon emissions will surge by the second highest rate in history. If it sounds surprising, the rise is due to the pandemic’s effect on the world. Even though the Paris Agreement working to reduce greenhouse emissions by at least 40% by 2030 and the US’ Joe Biden’s pledge to reach net-zero emissions by no later than 2050, the emissions are forecasted to surge by 1.5 billion tonnes in 2020, making it a 5% rise.
"On the one hand, governments today are saying climate change is their priority. But on the other hand, we are seeing the second biggest emissions rise in history."
So, is this what a "green recovery" looks like in practice…?https://t.co/Tt0UPOO44m
— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) April 20, 2021
The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Global Energy Review posted these forecasts and states that the 5% rise is the highest witnessed since the 2008 financial crisis. Fatih Britol, the IEA’s executive director, said that ‘it seems we are back on course to repeat the same mistakes. I am more disappointed this time than in 2010’.