The war in Iran has put 2026 on track for a dip in annual fossil-fuel carbon emissions

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/54245880

The U.S. war with Iran has raised fossil fuel prices so much that the resulting drop in oil demand has put the world on track to see a rare dip in carbon emissions from these sources in 2026.

Between 2019 and 2025, carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels grew by about 0.8 percent annually, according to a new study published in Nature Climate Change. But 2026 is set to buck that trend: high oil prices, as well as the continued rise of green technology—solar power, wind and electric cars—will cause a “short-term” 0.4 percent drop, according to the study.

“The high petrol prices following the war in Iran are reducing oil use and keeping emissions low,” says the study’s lead author Corinne Le Quéré, a professor of climate change science at the University of East Anglia in England. “But that’s not the whole story: The expansion of renewable energy has progressed a lot in recent years, led by China. And [along with electric vehicles], this is offsetting two thirds of the growing demand for energy.”

With all sources of carbon considered, including deforestation, total global CO2 emissions are set to continue increasing.

  • AA5B@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    4 hours ago

    I don’t think caps on house prices would be practical since there’s always supply and demand. Boston is a great example where things would be expensive anyway but we’re tens of thousands of housing units behind demand. There’s no quick answer but the MBTA communities zoning law should encourage more apartments and condos near transit over time. Overriding minimum lot size would have done similar for suburbs. At least potentially. Catching supply up to demand is part of the answer. And it won’t be fast. But it’s a start

    Let’s all concede and never drive gas cars or buy houses

    I completely disagree that this needs to be “conceding”. It can be a valid choice and we need to turn it into a good choice for ever more people.

    • Many years ago I lived for a year in Boston without a car. It was very freeing, was a fantastic improvement in my life, many things were much more convenient, and I saved so much money. The major downside was that not everyone lived in Boston, but this is an opportunity to build on. This can be a valid, cheaper, and better choice for many people. It’s already true for millions in New York City and we can do the same. Let’s build a city where people find this a better life!
    • I no longer drive a gas car and this is a good solution for at least a quarter of the us. That portion will continue to grow as we build out more charging solutions and will actually be affordable if we can end tariffs and protectionism
    • MBTA needs to adjust to the reality that we no longer commute to Boston for work. Scheduling and frequency changes could make commuter rail useful for a lot more errands, and there are many proposals to build out service