China's National Climate Center (NCC) recently unveiled its top 10 scientific events related to climate change in 2021. Organized by the NCC, academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, members of the National Climate Change Expert Committee, and other well-known experts selected the 10 events which reflect scientific progress in climate change and the interaction between relevant research and policymaking.

10. Global fossil CO2 emissions rebounded close to pre-COVID-19 levels

The "Global Carbon Budget 2021" published last November stated that global fossil CO2 emissions in 2021 were set to rebound 4.9% toward pre-COVID-19 levels, reaching 36.4 billion metric tons after a record 5.4% drop in 2020. The report added that the rebound reflects a return to the pre-COVID-19 fossil-based economy, as investments in the green economy in the post-COVID-19 recovery plans of some countries have so far proved insufficient.