All articles tagged with #carbon emissions
The EPA announced it is scrapping the Biden-era 2024 standards that would require coal and some gas plants to capture most carbon emissions, and it proposed blocking future power-plant carbon regulations. The move, announced at a G20 energy gathering, marks a major shift away from climate rules targeting power generation in favor of prioritizing affordable, reliable energy.
A Financial Times analysis of 60 data centers under construction by Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft finds they could emit about 101.5 million tons of CO2 annually once online—roughly 7% of 2025 US power-sector emissions and the equivalent of 24 million gas-powered cars or 27 coal plants. Despite public emissions pledges, the grid is leaning on gas and coal to power round-the-clock AI demand, with renewable energy credits used to offset the gap, a costly approach likely to draw profitability pressure and renewed activism and policy scrutiny.
Amazon is building a massive AI data center in Pecos County, Texas, powered by a new natural-gas-fired power plant that would emit about 33 million tons of CO2 annually—potentially among the largest emitters in the United States—while construction proceeds amid Texas government pushback, highlighting tensions between data-center growth and climate commitments.
The Trump administration unveiled a new effort to revive coal by allocating $700 million under the Defense Production Act to update 14 existing plants and build new ones in Alaska and West Virginia, paired with private investment. Officials claim it could lower electricity costs, but critics point out coal’s high price relative to wind/solar, ongoing environmental and health concerns, and the risk of stranded assets if renewables and stricter EPA rules continue to dominate the market.
The IEA’s 2025 analysis shows solar PV posted the largest annual increase of any energy source, driving renewables-led growth and meeting a large share of the rising electricity demand, while rapid battery expansion supports a more electrified, storage-enabled grid and emissions grew only modestly compared with past years.
A new international study finds Africa’s forests have shifted from absorbing to releasing carbon after 2010 due to widespread deforestation and degradation, with large losses in tropical moist broadleaf forests. The shift undermines global climate goals and highlights the urgency of stronger forest governance, restoration programs, and climate finance to protect and restore Africa’s forests and meet Paris Agreement targets.
A Climate and Community Institute analysis finds that the first 14 days of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran released more than 5 million metric tons of CO2, with roughly 2.5 million tonnes from destroyed buildings and 1.9 million tonnes from attacks on oil facilities and tankers; smaller contributions came from military fuels and lost equipment. The study notes emissions will rise as the conflict continues and warns that post-war fossil-fuel expansion could lock in decades of pollution.
Oxfam reports that the world's richest 1% have already used up their fair share of carbon emissions for 2026, with the top 0.1% exhausting their budget in just three days, highlighting the disproportionate impact of the wealthy on climate change and urging tax reforms to address this imbalance.
Washington state officials admitted to overstating the climate benefits of their carbon permit auctions, with revised estimates showing the projects will only reduce about 300,000 metric tons of pollution, far less than initially claimed, due to data errors and misreporting. The correction highlights concerns over the credibility of the state's climate initiatives and the potential diversion of funds to non-climate priorities.
In 2025, significant legal victories have been achieved worldwide in climate justice, including rulings against fossil fuel projects, greenwashing lawsuits, landmark international court opinions, and policy changes aimed at reducing emissions and protecting the climate, marking a decade of evolving legal efforts to combat climate change.
Residents of Pari Island in Indonesia are taking Swiss cement giant Holcim to court over its failure to reduce carbon emissions, which they claim contributes to rising sea levels threatening their home. This marks the first climate litigation against a corporation in Switzerland, with the plaintiffs demanding significant emission cuts and compensation. Holcim plans to appeal the decision, emphasizing its commitment to net zero by 2050 but stating that climate policies should be set by lawmakers.
Researchers have developed a highly detailed map of CO2 emissions across the U.S. for 2022, highlighting major pollution hotspots, especially in densely populated areas, amidst threats to federal emissions tracking programs. The Vulcan dataset provides critical data that could help fill gaps if federal reporting is reduced, despite funding and policy challenges.
Global fossil fuel emissions are projected to reach an all-time high this year, despite increased renewable energy adoption, with the world on track to surpass the 1.5-degree Celsius warming threshold within four years, highlighting the urgent need for more aggressive climate action.
Global fossil fuel emissions are projected to reach a record high of 38.1 billion tons in 2025, with overall emissions increasing slightly from 2024, although China shows signs of slowing its emissions growth.
A new study highlights that AI data centers in the U.S. could consume as much water as 10 million Americans and produce carbon emissions comparable to 5-10 million cars annually by 2030. However, strategic siting, renewable energy use, and efficient cooling can significantly reduce these impacts, emphasizing the importance of sustainable practices in AI infrastructure development.