Fossil Fuel Use Reached Record Levels in 2023: Report by Yolowire

Despite serious concerns about the impacts of climate change on the planet, global fossil fuel consumption and emissions reached record highs in 2023, as revealed by a recent report.

The annual Statistical Review of World Energy indicates that carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel use, which are linked to climate change, grew by 2% last year, surpassing 40 gigatonnes for the first time.

The report highlights a continued rise in the use of oil and coal, while the adoption of cleaner energy sources has stagnated. Despite commitments from governments worldwide to reduce fossil fuel dependency, emissions from this energy source have surged by 50% since 2000.

The concerning increase in fossil fuel use coincides with global temperature rises reaching 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit), a critical threshold beyond which scientists warn that the severity of extreme weather events like droughts and floods will escalate.

Global energy consumption is at an unprecedented level of 620 Exajoules (EJ) in 2023, with carbon dioxide emissions exceeding 40 gigatonnes for the first time.

While fossil fuel use is declining in regions such as Europe—where it accounted for less than 70% of energy consumption last year—it is increasing in developing countries like India and China. The report notes that nearly all energy demand growth in India last year stemmed from fossil fuels, while fossil fuel use in China rose by 6% to an all-time high.