Where Do Emissions Come From?

Global greenhouse gas emissions reached a new high in 2023, following a 1.3 percent increase from 2022. This is according to data from the UNEP’s Emissions Gap Report 2024, published Thursday.

Last year, total GHG emissions hit 57.1 gigatons of CO2 equivalent. In 2023, the power sector was the largest contributor to emissions at 15.1 Gt CO2e, followed by transport (8.4 GtCO2e), agriculture (6.5 GtCO2e) and industry (6.5 GtCO2e). Under transport, the subcategory of road vehicles produced the most emissions (11 percent), while aviation and other modes of transport each accounted for two percent, respectively. Agriculture was also responsible for an 11 percent share of global emissions, six percent of which was attributed to livestock and five percent from biomass burning, soils and rice.

According to the report, emissions from international aviation showed the highest growth between 2022 and 2023, at 19.5 percent. This is due to the sector’s emissions having initially plummeted following the disruptions to air travel during the coronavirus pandemic, before rebounding once restrictions were lifted. The other sectors that grew quickly in 2023 were emissions from fuel production (oil and gas infrastructure, coal mines), as well as road transportation and energy-related industry emissions.