World has only 4 years of carbon space left

Global CO2 emissions are closing 2025 at the highest levels ever recorded. Fossil-fuel and cement emissions are projected to reach 38.1 billion tonnes, while total CO2 — including land use — is expected to hit around 42.2 billion tonnes. Oil, gas and coal are all still rising, even as land-use emissions fall.

China, the US and India continue to drive much of the global increase, each for different reasons. Emissions in the US see one of the sharpest jumps this year, while India’s growth slows but still rises. China’s increase is small, but its overall scale keeps global totals high.

The biggest warning comes from the carbon budget. Only about 170 billion tonnes of CO2 remain before the 1.5°C limit is crossed — roughly four years at the current pace. Carbon sinks like forests and oceans are also weakening, meaning more CO2 stays in the atmosphere.

Watch the full breakdown to understand why emissions have flattened at the highest level in history, what’s driving the rise and how fast the remaining carbon space is shrinking.