Global CO2 emissions reach a new peak each year.

Omissions

• The claim omits that 2020 saw a historic decline in global CO2 emissions of approximately 5–8% due to COVID-19, interrupting the upward trend.
• The unqualified 'year after year' framing implies emissions have risen every year without exception, which is historically inaccurate.
• The IEA Global Energy Review 2026 (published after the session date) reports that the growth rate slowed to 0.4% in 2025, the slowest since 2021, suggesting the upward trend may be decelerating.

Sources

• PrimaryIEA Global Energy Review 2025 – CO2 EmissionsTotal energy-related CO2 emissions increased by 0.8% in 2024, hitting an all-time high of 37.8 Gt CO2.
• PrimaryIEA Global Energy Review 2026 – CO2 EmissionsGlobal growth in energy-related CO2 emissions slowed in 2025, rising by around 0.4%, the slowest rate since 2021. Despite this slowdown, total energy-related emissions reached a new record.
• PrimaryGlobal Carbon BudgetFossil fuel CO2 emissions hit record high in 2025, with atmospheric CO2 concentration set to reach 425.7 ppm, 52% above pre-industrial levels.
• PrimaryEDGAR – JRC 2025 Report on GHG EmissionsBased on emission estimates for 2024, global GHG emissions increased by 1.3% compared to 2023, reaching 53.2 Gt CO2eq.
• SecondaryStanford University – COVID lockdown causes record drop in carbon emissions for 2020The global COVID-19 lockdowns caused fossil CO2 emissions to decline by an estimated 2.4 billion tonnes in 2020 — a record drop.