Hydropower Shortfall Leads to Record Global Emissions in 2023
Via MIT Technology Review
Summary
Global energy-related CO2 emissions hit a record 37.4 billion tonnes in 2023, a rise of 1.1% over the previous year, according to data from the International Energy Agency. A major driver was an unprecedented shortfall in hydroelectric power generation caused by severe droughts in China, North America, and other regions — droughts worsened by El Niño conditions. That hydropower shortfall alone contributed roughly 170 million additional tonnes of CO2 as fossil fuels stepped in to fill the gap.
Had hydropower output remained at normal levels, global CO2 emissions from electricity generation would have actually declined in 2023, making the overall emissions rise significantly smaller. The IEA noted that rapid growth in solar, wind, and nuclear energy partially offset the hydropower shortfall, but not enough to prevent the record. The episode highlighted how climate-driven droughts can undermine clean energy infrastructure that itself depends on stable rainfall.
