Carbon dioxide emissions are expected to reach record levels in 2022 due to the increase in coal, oil and gas consumption and the recovery of the global economy after the pandemic. This is reported in the Global Carbon Project report. According to the study, the volume of CO2 emissions will increase by 1% to reach 37.5 billion tons. The biggest increase was recorded in the US and India, where economic activity and the scale of air transport have recovered the fastest after the coronavirus pandemic-related restrictions.

Emissions fell 0.9% in China, the largest coal consumer, this year for the first time since 2016, due to the government’s strict “zero tolerance” policy against COVID-19, scientists said.

According to the authors of the report, the increase in coal consumption in the EU countries was compensated by the reduction in the use of natural gas after the restriction of supplies from Russia. CO2 emissions in Community countries decreased by 0.8% in 2022.

“To reach the zero level by 2050, it is necessary to reduce the total emission volume by 1.4 billion tons per year. “, said Professor Corinne Le Carré of the University of East Anglia.”This is comparable to the figure reached by countries in 2020 as a result of governments’ joint efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic. “, he added.