Global carbon dioxide emissions from industrial processes and energy combustion increased to a record high of 36.8 gigatonne (GT) in 2022. According to the International Energy Association's recent report, the CO2 emissions increased by 0.9 percent or 321 metric tonne in 2022.

The IEA's detailed fuel-by-fuel and region-by-region analysis incorporates the recent official national statistics and data that is publicly-available on energy use, weather and economic indicators.

It is important to note that in 2020, during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, emissions reduced by over 5 percent due to a cut in energy demand. The following year, emissions rebounded past the pre-pandemic levels, and grew over 6 percent, in line with economic stimulus and the vaccines being rolled out.

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In 2022, carbon dioxide emissions from energy combustion increased by around 1.3 percent or 423 MT, whereas emissions from industrial processes fell by 102 MT, the report stated.

"Emissions growth in 2022 was below global GDP growth (+3.2 percent), reverting to a decades-long trend of decoupling emissions and economic growth that was broken in 2021," the report stated.

According to the report, the emissions from the emerging markets in Asia as well as developing economies, excluding China, increased more than the emissions from any other region last year. These same emissions increased by 4.2 percent or 206 MT. It said that more than half of the increase in emissions in the region were from coal-fired power generation.

Another key highlight from the report was that emissions from natural gas decreased by 1.6 percent or 118 MT, following the sanctions on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. "Reductions in emissions from gas were particularly pronounced in Europe," the report stated.

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