Who are the good and bad students in the fight against global warming? Where is humanity in this immense challenge? In the middle of COP 29 in Azerbaijana reference study is published on Wednesday November 13. It draws one main lesson: we emit more and more carbon. Some 37.4 billion tonnes of CO2 will be emitted by humanity in 2024, according to Global Carbon Project projectionsa consortium of around a hundred scientists from around the world.
Emissions hit a new high, up 0.8% from 2023 and still no sign of a peak. However, we must achieve it very quickly, to hope to respect the Paris agreement and sustainably limit warming to 1.5 degrees compared to the pre-industrial era. A faint hope, 2024 will undoubtedly be the first year above this threshold. Emissions linked to oil, gas and coal are increasing, driven by China, India and the vast majority of countries in the world.
Some encouraging signs
The picture is not encouraging, but there are some positive signs. China's emissions are still increasing, but very little, and much less than in 2023. Renewable energies are gaining ground among the world's leading polluter, as well as number 2, the United States, which has managed to lower its level. of pollution. The European Union is one of the best performers on the planet with a spectacular drop in emissions in 2023: minus 8%. A further drop of around 4% is expected this year. In total, 22 countries around the world have managed to reverse the trend, without giving up economic growth.
France on the right track
In France, emissions have been falling since the 1970s and the conversion to nuclear power, but we must now accelerate. The government presented its ambitions at the beginning of November : many more electric cars, massive renovation of buildings, relaunch of nuclear power, end of coal… But the march is high to meet the emissions reduction objectives set by Brussels, it will be necessary to do by 2030 almost as much more effort than anything that has been done in the last 30 years.
France
