The world's burning of fossil fuels is set to release more planet-warming carbon dioxide than ever before this year, new figures show.
It is another sign that efforts to fight climate change by cutting emissions are moving far too slowly to meet international targets, as countries meet in Brazil for UN climate talks COP30.
But emissions have grown much less quickly over the past decade as renewables have taken off, providing hope that the world's warming trend can still be curbed.
And separate analysis by clean energy think tank Ember suggests that fossil fuel use in electricity generation has flatlined in 2025, largely thanks to the rapid growth of solar power.
This effect of the renewables boom is highlighted by emissions in the power or electricity sector.
Electricity generated from fossil fuels is forecast to flatline or even decline slightly this year, according to the think tank Ember, for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic.
What is clearer, the team say, is that emissions have grown more slowly over the past decade - 0.3% per year - compared to the previous decade's 1.9% per year.
And over the past 10 years, 35 countries significantly cut their fossil fuel emissions while also growing their economies, they say. That is nearly double the number in the decade before.
We're not yet in a situation where the emissions go down [as] rapidly as they need to, to tackle climate change, but at the same time there are a lot of positive [developments], said Corinne Le Quéré, professor of climate change science at the University of East Anglia.
This year's extra electricity demand has been more than met by wind and, particularly, solar.
Analysts suggest that while fossil fuel emissions may peak soon, achieving net-zero emissions is essential for stopping further warming of the planet.
Ultimately, the ongoing developments in renewable energy present a beacon of hope amidst the daunting realities of rising fossil fuel emissions.
