The Earth recorded its highest ever daily average atmospheric CO2 concentration in May 2022. The Scripps Institute of Oceanography at the University of California reported 421.37ppm, compared to 418.95ppm in May 2021.
Global energy-related CO2 emissions for 2021 were a record 33.7Gt, up from 31.8Gt in 2020. AME forecasts 35.2Gt and 35.1Gt of CO2 emissions in 2022 and 2023. Emissions increased as the world economy rebounded from the COVID-19 pandemic. Poor weather for renewables and high natural gas prices sent countries crawling back to coal to fuel this recovery. World CO2 emissions from coal in 2021 were 15.3Gt, up from 14.4Gt in 2020. AME forecast a further increase to 15.8Gt and 15.6Gt in 2022 and 2023. Oil and gas contributed 10.7Gt and 7.49Gt of CO2 emissions up from 9.94Gt and 7.16Gt respectively in 2020. AME forecasts CO2 emissions from oil to be 11.4Gt in 2022 and 11.4Gt in 2023. CO2 emissions from gas are forecast to be 7.76Gt in 2022 and 7.86Gt in 2023.