US accounts for over a third of global CO₂ emissions rise in 2025, report says

ISLAMABAD: The United States was responsible for more than a third of the increase in global carbon emissions in 2025, according to a report by the Energy Institute produced in partnership with Ember, Kearney Institute and KPMG.

Higher gas prices prompted US power producers to switch back to coal, contributing to the rise in emissions. Coal use in the United States increased by 10 per cent last year, reversing an earlier move towards cleaner fuels.

Carbon emissions from the global energy sector rose by 1.1pc to 35,806 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2025. More than one-third of that increase came from the United States. In North America, the increase reversed a 10-year pattern in which emissions had been declining by 0.7pc.

Energy demand and supply trends

Overall energy supply increased by 1.7pc from 2024, with renewable energy making the largest contribution to that growth. Renewable power generation rose 9.1pc, led by a 30pc jump in solar output.

Electricity demand outpaced supply growth, rising 3pc year-on-year. The report attributed that increase to electric vehicles, data centres and artificial intelligence.

Europe’s energy-sector carbon emissions increased by 0.5pc in 2025, while China’s rose by 0.7pc.

Oil and gas consumption

Global oil consumption increased by 1.3pc in 2025 to 103 million barrels per day, compared with a 1.1pc rise in 2024. Oil production grew by 3.5pc.

In China, gasoline and diesel consumption declined last year, extending a pattern that had already been seen in 2024. Growth in gas demand was concentrated in Europe, the Middle East and North America.

Europe and India depended on imports for nearly half of their gas supply.