The U.S. war with Iran has raised fossil fuel prices so much that the resulting drop in oil demand has put the world on track to see a rare dip in carbon emissions from these sources in 2026.

Between 2019 and 2025, carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels grew by about 0.8 percent annually, according to a new study published in Nature Climate Change. But 2026 is set to buck that trend: high oil prices, as well as the continued rise of green technology—solar power, wind and electric cars—will cause a “short-term” 0.4 percent drop, according to the study.

“The high petrol prices following the war in Iran are reducing oil use and keeping emissions low,” says the study’s lead author Corinne Le Quéré, a professor of climate change science at the University of East Anglia in England. “But that’s not the whole story: The expansion of renewable energy has progressed a lot in recent years, led by China. And [along with electric vehicles], this is offsetting two thirds of the growing demand for energy.”

With all sources of carbon considered, including deforestation, total global CO2 emissions are set to continue increasing.

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[–] 1 point 13 hours ago (3 children)

I know this might sound offcolor, but why even have a car at all at that point? Why not move to a supermajor city where you can bike/transit everywhere instead?

I was in a very similar situation to you when I moved out of my parents’s house and above is similar to what I did.

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  • [–] 1 point 5 hours ago (2 children)

    Moving is extremely expensive. Besides passing for a truck and fuel, you pay first, last, and often an additional month's rent, if renting, plus utility deposits, but any deposit refunds usually lag a month. Assume you also are still working trying to get all this done, or aren't and on a fixed income.

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  • [–] 1 point 3 hours ago (1 child)

    It totally is expensive, but it’s cheaper than driving 2 hours a day for 2-4 years (insurance, maintenance, registration, gas). Besides that, the health of the matter is that driving that much is terrible for you physically.

    Cars have become this albatross across everyone’s neck in the US, and it makes me super sad that people don’t naturally try to get away from being chained to one.

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