IEA Report Details the Fall and Rise of Global Carbon Emissions for 2020

SUGAR LAND--March 9, 2021--Written by John Egan for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--For those concerned about global emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and global warming, last week's release of a report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) (Paris, France) was the ultimate good news-bad news story. The good news: Energy-related global emissions of CO2 fell nearly 2 billion tons, or about 6%, around the world in 2020, the largest absolute decline in history. Slightly more than 50% of that decline came from transportation, and another 25%, or about 450 million tons, came from the global power sector.

The bad news: Keeping global temperature increases below 2 degrees (Celsius) will require annual emission reductions of 500 million tons or more each year across industries.

Within this article: Details on where the IEA believes renewable energy and related public policy is heading in the coming years, and where the U.S. could go with its efforts.