Full Breakdown
Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reach Record High in 2025
3/7/2026, 8:10:35 PM
Overview of Emissions Data
On February 26, 2026, Climate TRACE released its comprehensive report on global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for the year 2025, revealing a 0.50% increase, amounting to an additional 303.19 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent (Mt CO2e). This brought total emissions to a record high of 60.63 billion tonnes (Bt CO2e). Notably, global methane emissions also rose by 1.03%, reaching 412.59 Mt CH4, surpassing the previous record set in 2023.
Sector-Specific Emissions Trends
The report highlighted that while emissions from the power sector saw a slight decline of 0.13% (20.31 Mt CO2e), significant increases were observed in fossil fuel operations, transportation, manufacturing, and buildings. Fossil fuel operations alone accounted for a 1.56% rise (151.57 Mt CO2e), with oil and gas production experiencing the largest jump at 4.1%. The power sector remained the largest contributor to global emissions, comprising 26% of the total.
Key Contributors: China and the United States
China and the United States continued to be the top two emitters globally. In 2025, China's emissions increased by only 0.28%, marking the smallest rise since Climate TRACE began tracking in 2015. Conversely, U.S. emissions increased by 0.23%, reflecting a trend of relative stability over the past decade. Notably, for the first time since 2015, China's power sector emissions decreased by 0.39% (25.99 Mt CO2e), while U.S. power sector emissions rose by 1.8% (26 Mt CO2e), effectively offsetting the gains made in China.
Regional Variations and Clean Energy Adoption
In contrast to the global trend, India reported a significant decrease in power sector emissions for the first time since 2020, with a drop of 2.6%. The Nordic countries—Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden—also demonstrated a decline in road transportation emissions, attributed to high electric vehicle (EV) adoption rates, which have reached nearly 70% of new car sales in these regions.
Criticism & Opposition
Despite the slight overall decline in power sector emissions, critics argue that the continued rise in fossil fuel operations undermines global climate goals. The report indicates that emissions from Russia saw the most significant increase among countries, raising concerns about the effectiveness of current policies in curbing emissions.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
While Climate TRACE data indicates a general slowdown in the growth rate of emissions, discrepancies exist regarding specific country contributions. For instance, Russia's emissions rose by 51.6 Mt (1.64%), while India experienced a decrease of 27.5 Mt (0.65%). Additionally, the report notes that emissions in Mexico and Australia also saw significant declines, yet the overall picture remains complex.
What's Next
Looking ahead, Climate TRACE plans to release emissions data for January 2026 on March 26, 2026, as part of its ongoing efforts to monitor and report on global emissions trends.
Verbatim Quotes
“Despite a small decline in power sector emissions, fossil fuel operations, transportation, manufacturing, and buildings all nudged global greenhouse gas emissions higher.” — Climate TRACE Report
“Russia’s oil and gas production was responsible for most of these emissions.” — Climate TRACE Report
“· Clean energy solutions like renewable sources of power and electric vehicles are taking hold in many locations around the world, and as a result, emissions are beginning to decline in these regions.” — Climate TRACE Report
“In 2025, Russia's emissions increased the most of any country in the world, while India had the largest drop in emissions.” — Climate TRACE Report
