US, Europe drive emissions higher

The world’s largest power polluter, China, made its biggest cut to power emissions since 2020 so far this year, but global power emissions have still held largely flat due to higher fossil fuel power generation in the United States and Europe.

- Gavin Maguire

The United States and Europe emitted a combined 801 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) from fossil fuel-based power production during January to March, data from Ember shows.

That emissions toll was 53 million tonnes or 7% more than during the same period in 2024, and was the highest since 2022 for the opening quarter of the year.

The greater discharge from the US and Europe largely offsets a 60 million-tonne drop in fossil power emissions in China, and means that global power sector pollution levels remain elevated despite reductions in the top polluting market.

With the US power sector about to enter its most fossil fuel-intensive generation period just as China's manufacturers lift output during the trade truce with the US, global power emissions will likely keep rising and hit new highs in 2025.

Power producers in both the United States and Europe boosted generation from fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas during the opening months of 2025 from the year before.

In Europe, sustained low wind speeds reduced supplies of clean power and forced utilities to compensate with 8% more fossil fuel-fired output than during January to March of 2024.