The US tops 2025 global CO₂ emissions growth despite continued investments in renewable energy, according to the latest Energy Institute Statistical Review of World Energy, produced in partnership with Ember, Kearney, and KPMG. The report reveals that the United States accounted for about one-third of the global increase in energy-related carbon emissions during 2025, largely because higher natural gas prices prompted many power producers to switch back to coal-fired electricity generation. Globally, energy-related CO₂ emissions rose 1.1% to 35,806 million metric tons, even as renewable power generation expanded by 9.1%, including a remarkable 30% increase in solar generation.

The findings highlight the growing challenge of balancing rising electricity demand with decarbonization goals as artificial intelligence (AI), data centers, and electric vehicles drive unusual energy consumption.

Coal’s Comeback Drives US Emissions Higher

One of the report’s most notable findings is the unexpected rebound in coal use across the United States.

Coal consumption increased 10% in 2025, reversing years of declining demand. Higher natural gas prices made coal-fired power plants more economically competitive, leading utilities to rely more heavily on coal for electricity generation. This shift significantly contributed to the rise in national carbon emissions and made the U.S. the single largest contributor to global emissions growth during the year.

Also Read: Global Clean Power Surpasses Coal as Dominant Energy Source in 2025

Global Energy Demand Continues to Rise

While fossil fuel use remained resilient, renewable energy continued to expand rapidly worldwide.

Total global energy supply increased by 1.7% compared with 2024, with renewables accounting for the largest share of new energy generation. Solar energy led this growth, expanding by 30%, while overall renewable electricity generation grew 9.1%.

However, electricity demand rose even faster, up 3% year-on-year, driven by expanding AI infrastructure, cloud computing, electric vehicle adoption, and industrial electrification.

Regional Trends Show Mixed Progress

Although the US tops 2025 global CO₂ emissions growth, other major economies also recorded increases.

Europe’s energy-sector emissions rose 0.5%, while China’s increased 0.7%. Despite this, China continued to experience declining gasoline and diesel consumption, extending a trend first observed in 2024 as electric vehicle adoption accelerated.

Global oil consumption increased 1.3%, reaching 103 million barrels per day, while oil production grew 3.5%. Meanwhile, natural gas demand expanded strongly across Europe, North America, and the Middle East, with Europe and India importing nearly half of their gas supplies.

Also Read: Europe Faces Dangerous Temperatures as Heatwave Sweeps Eastward

Long-Term Carbon Trends Remain Concerning

The report also highlights broader climate trends from recent years that continue to shape the global emissions landscape.

• In 2024, global energy-related CO₂ emissions reached a record 37.8 gigatonnes (Gt CO₂), pushing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations to 422.5 parts per million (ppm), approximately 3 ppm higher than in 2023 and nearly 50% above pre-industrial levels.
• Fuel combustion emissions increased by 357 million tonnes (around 1%), while emissions from industrial processes declined 2.3% (62 million tonnes).
• Although global GDP grew 3.2%, emissions increased at a slower pace, indicating that economic growth is gradually becoming less carbon-intensive.
• Natural gas emerged as the largest contributor to emissions growth in 2024, increasing 2.5% (180 million tonnes CO₂) due to higher consumption in the United States, China, India, and the Middle East.
• Coal emissions globally rose 0.9% (135 million tonnes CO₂), largely because of increasing coal use in China, India, and Southeast Asia, despite continued declines in many advanced economies.

Also Read: WHO Warns Europe’s Heatwave Has Caused 1300 Excess Deaths Across The Region

Clean Energy Growth Alone Is Not Enough

The latest report demonstrates that rapid renewable energy expansion, while encouraging, is still being outpaced by rising global energy demand. As electricity consumption accelerates because of AI, digital infrastructure, transport electrification, and economic growth, experts say countries will need faster deployment of clean energy, modernized power grids, improved energy efficiency, and reduced dependence on fossil fuels to meet international climate targets.

Also Read: Study Links Ocean Warming Above 1.5°C To Continuous Global Marine Disruption