Who's Driving Global Carbon Emissions?
But the trends are also concerning - even as growth slows, global emissions hit another all-time high of 37 billion tons in 2022. And existing policies have us on track for 3°C of warming compared to pre-industrial times. The IPCC warns this could bring catastrophic climate disruptions.
A striking data visualization from our partners at the Berkley Earth Global Carbon Project traces global carbon dioxide emissions back to 1950 - and the results showcase America and China as the dominant drivers behind the 6-fold spike since mid-century.
With China's economic boom in the 1970s and America's postwar industrialization, these two nations now represent over 40% of total annual emissions. The shift has been staggering - China has seen emissions skyrocket over 4500% since 1950.
But the trends are also concerning - even as growth slows, global emissions hit another all-time high of 37 billion tons in 2022. And existing policies have us on track for 3°C of warming compared to pre-industrial times. The IPCC warns this could bring catastrophic climate disruptions.
The message is clear - we need immediate, sweeping efforts across countries and industries to curve emissions and mitigate climate impacts. But what are the efforts? Who will implement them? These are the big questions.
For electric utilities, this means continuing to lead the clean energy transition. With focused investments in renewables, storage, grid modernization, and electrification, power companies can chart a path to deep decarbonization.
At the McNees Group, we can work with companies to develop customized plans to reduce their carbon footprints while ensuring reliable and detailed capital investment capital payback. Contact us to continue your sustainability journey.
#ESG #EnergyTransition #Decarbonization #ClimateAction #CleanEnergy #NetZero 2050
