Global emissions show signs of flattening

Global greenhouse-gas emissions appear to be flattening, suggesting relentless annual growth is not inevitable.

Climate TRACE estimated that the world emitted 5.0 billion tonnes of carbon-dioxide equivalent in May 2026, 0.1% less than a year earlier. Across the first five months, emissions were unchanged at 25.3 billion tonnes.

The picture is mixed beneath that unusually level line. Manufacturing emissions fell by 1.5% year on year and transport by 0.9%, while power rose by 0.9% and buildings by 1.6%. China’s estimated emissions dropped by 0.6%, but those from the US, India and the EU increased.

Climate TRACE combines satellites, artificial intelligence and other data to track millions of sources. Its monthly totals are preliminary and can change as methods improve. More importantly, flat emissions are not falling emissions: the world still needs rapid, sustained cuts to limit warming. Yet a plateau can be a turning point if clean energy, efficient transport and stronger policy push the line down next. For now, the climate graph has stopped climbing quite so cheerfully — and that is a start.