Global CO2 emissions from energy production rose to a record level last year, partly due to the exceptionally dry summer, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).
In the United States, China and other countries, hydroelectric power plants were able to supply less electricity due to extreme drought, which made it necessary to resort to fossil fuels, the IEA said in Paris on Friday.
As much as 40% of the 1.1% growth in CO2 emissions to 37.4 billion tons in 2023 was caused by limited hydropower capacity. Emissions from coal mainly accounted for the remaining increase.
However, thanks to the spread of renewable energies, the increase in CO2 emissions in 2023 was lower than in the previous year, even though energy demand grew.
Despite the growth of their economies, industrialized countries recorded a record decline in their CO2 emissions in 2023. This was due to heightened use of renewable energy, the switch from coal to gas, greater energy efficiency and lower industrial production.
According to the IEA, 2023 was the first year in which at least half of electricity generation in industrialized countries came from low-emission sources such as renewable energy and nuclear power.
"Most importantly, we need far greater efforts to enable emerging and developing economies to ramp up clean energy investment," said IEA Director Fatih Birol.
According to the IEA analysis, the use of clean energy continues to be concentrated in industrialized countries and China. Last year, these countries accounted for 90% of new photovoltaic and wind power plants worldwide and 95% of electric vehicle sales.
This is driving the need for greater international efforts to boost investment in clean energy in emerging and developing countries, the agency said.