Global carbon dioxide emissions rose to their highest levels last year after a surge in energy demand stoked by a strong economy and extreme weather, according to the world’s energy watchdog.
The Paris-based International Energy Agency said energy demand rose 2.3 per cent last year — its fastest rate since 2010 — and that the growth was met mainly by fossil fuels. That pushed global emissions of carbon dioxide to a record high of 33bn tonnes in 2018, up 1.7 per cent from the previous year.
Fatih Birol, the head of the IEA, said the rise in energy demand was “exceptional” and a “surprise for many”, moving the world further away from its climate goals.