Relentless rise in carbon pollution from fossil fuels slightly dampens climate-fighting hopes

For each of the past several years, scientists, analysts and officials have been hoping that it would be the year when emissions from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas would stop going up. For the second straight year, emissions from fossil fuels rose 1.1% in 2025, scientists reported Wednesday at United Nations climate negotiations. “It’s disappointing that we haven’t brought down carbon dioxide emissions,” said University of Exeter scientist Stephen Sitch, a member of the Global Carbo