Net zero is an insidious loophole that distracts from the scientific imperative to eliminate fossil fuels | Joelle Gergis

"As world leaders gather in Brazil this year for Cop30 the first Amazonian Cop it's worth doing a quick reality check on how we are collectively tracking to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. Despite 30 years of UN climate summits, about half of the carbon dioxide accumulated in the atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution has been emitted since 1990. Incidentally, 1990 was the year the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change the global authority on climate change science released its First Assessment Report confirming the threat of human-caused global warming."

"In the avalanche of technical reports released before Cop30, the World Meteorological Organization stated that CO2 concentrations reached a record high of 423.9 parts per million in 2024, with the growth rate from 2023 to 2024 surging by the largest yearly increase since modern measurements began in 1957. The latest figures from Global Carbon Project show that 90% of total global CO2 emissions in 2024 were generated from the burning of fossil fuels, with the remaining 10% coming from land-use changes including deforestation and wildfires."

"While the growth in fossil CO2 emissions in 2024 was driven by increases in gas and oil together accounting for just over half of global emissions the burning of coal reached a record high, accounting for 41%. Despite Cop28's global stocktake calling on all nations to contribute to transitioning away from fossil fuels, collectively there are still plans to produce more than double the amount of fossil fuels in 2030 than is consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5C, with the continued extraction of gas rationalised as a lower emission intensity transition fuel."

Global greenhouse gas emissions remain far above safe levels and the world is still off track to limit dangerous climate change. About half of the carbon dioxide accumulated since the Industrial Revolution has been emitted since 1990. CO2 concentrations reached a record 423.9 parts per million in 2024, with the largest year-to-year increase since measurements began in 1957. In 2024, 90% of CO2 emissions came from burning fossil fuels and 10% from land-use changes including deforestation and wildfires. Coal emissions hit a record high at 41%. Current plans would produce more than double the fossil fuels in 2030 than consistent with limiting warming to 1.5°C.

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