Emissions surged

Global carbon emissions jumped the most in seven years in 2018 as energy demand surged, indicating the world is falling behind in its efforts to rein in climate change. There may be better news this year as plunging natural gas prices prompts a shift from coal, but it shows the scale of the challenge.

2. Driven by U.S. production…

America’s energy boom set an extraordinary pace in 2018. The U.S. had the biggest one-year gain in oil and gas production posted by any country in history. Even Saudi Arabia never managed to add 2.2 million barrels a day of crude output in a single year.

3. …and Asia consumption

Asia’s two economic giants, China and India, continued to drive the jump in energy demand (and carbon emissions) as more air conditioners, TVs and refrigerators boosted electricity consumption. Two-thirds of the growth in oil use came from these two countries.

4. Coal’s unchecked power

Coal continues to be the dominant fuel in power generation despite the world searching for cleaner alternatives and the biggest oil companies aggressively promoting cleaner-burning gas. The dirtiest fuel accounted for almost 40% of electricity last year, a level that’s held almost constant for 20 years.

5. Renewables rising

It’s not all doom and gloom though. The review shows supply of renewable energy is rising fast, especially in China. It’s just not enough to account for the extra demand for power coming from emerging markets.