Fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions both hit record highs in 2023, according to a new study warning that climate change is still out of control.

The Energy Institute (EI), which represents engineers and others who work in the power sector, found that the equivalent of 58bn tonnes of CO2 were added to the Earth’s atmosphere last year – accelerating the warming that has already added 1.5C to average global temperatures. 

It was driven by an increase in emissions from fossil fuels, which exceeded 40bn tonnes for the first time – double what was emitted in 2000. 

Juliet Davenport, president of the London-based EI, said: “2023 saw record consumption of fossil fuels and record emissions from energy, but also record generation of renewables, driven by increasingly competitive wind and solar energy.”