For The First Time, Rich Countries Now Get Half Their Electricity From Zero-Carbon Energy

While global emissions hit a record in 2023, advanced economies’ climate pollution fell to 1973 levels.

Global emissions of planet-heating gas hit a record high last year, the International Energy Agency announced Friday.

But the rich economies cumulatively responsible for much of the carbon in the atmosphere saw their average emissions drop down to 1973 levels, driven largely by a transition away from fossil fuel power plants.

For the first time in history, zero-carbon sources of energy generated half the total electricity in the world’s advanced economies, according to new data from the Paris-based energy watchdog.

Renewables like wind and solar accounted for an “unprecedented” 34% share of power generation. Nuclear power, which a separate IEA report last month forecast would hit record global production next year, made up the rest. Nearly two-thirds of the decline came from the electricity sector.

Emissions fell even as the overall gross domestic product of the world’s advanced economies grew by nearly 2%, making 2023’s drop in greenhouse gas the largest percentage decrease outside of an economic recession.