Worldwide energy body warns more must be done to help developing countries give up fossil fuels,

Global greenhouse gas emissions are likely to rise to record levels in the next two years, as governments fail to “build back better” from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Emissions will rise again this year and next year, after a fall last year, and 2023 is now on track to see the highest levels of carbon dioxide output in human history, equaling or surpassing the record set in 2018, according to forecasts released by the International Energy Agency on Tuesday.

Such a rise would put the goals of the Paris climate agreement all but out of reach, as scientists have warned that emissions must halve this decade if the world is to limit global temperature rises to 1.5C, beyond which the effects of climate breakdown will ravage swathes of the globe.

The reason for the sharp rise is that governments have failed to invest in green energy as they have sought to rebuild their economies from the Covid-19 pandemic.