Global Power Production Had the Biggest Drop in CO2 Emissions Since Thirty Years

With an increasing number of countries opting to use more renewable energy resources and less coal, last year saw a two percent drop in carbon emissions in the global power sector – the lowest decline since 1990.

Researchers of the report, led by UK-based independent climate think tank Ember, found a 15% increase in wind and solar energy, which meets the compound growth rate required to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, according to Ember. But the think-tank explains that in order to continue towards this path, countries need to limit switching from coal to natural gas, and rather focus more heavily on boosting clean energy.

“The global decline of coal and power sector emissions is good news for the climate but governments have to dramatically accelerate the electricity transition so that global coal generation collapses throughout the 2020s,” says Dave Jones, Electricity Analyst for Ember, in a statement. “To switch from coal into gas is just swapping one fossil fuel for another. The cheapest and quickest way to end coal generation is through a rapid roll-out of wind and solar.”

The report used data from 85% of the world and estimated the data for the rest. Aside from showing the biggest CO2 emissions reduction in three decades, the report also highlighted a drop in coal-fired electricity generation by 3%.