SUV Sales Hit , Record High in 2023 Despite , Global Efforts to Cut Emissions.<br />'The Guardian' reports that SUV sales<br /> hit a record high in 2023, comprising <br />half of all new cars sold globally.<br />Experts warn that the increasing popularity <br />of the heavy vehicles will drive up carbon <br />emissions responsible for global warming.<br />An analysis by the International Energy Agency <br />(IEA) found that emissions from SUVs made up <br />for 20% of the world's carbon emissions in 2023.<br />According to the IEA, if SUVs were <br />considered a country, they would have been <br />the fifth-largest carbon emitter in the world, <br />ahead of both Germany and Japan.<br />'The Guardian' reports that urgent cuts in emissions <br />are needed to combat climate-driven extreme weather <br />events, which are already increasing in frequency.<br />Despite this, SUV sales <br />increased by 15% compared to a 3% <br />increase for conventional automobiles in 2023.<br />According to the IEA, the main reasons <br />behind increasing SUV sales are <br />“the appeal of SUVs as a status symbol,” <br />automakers' marketing and perceptions of comfort.<br />The IEA also points out that SUVs cause greater injuries <br />in pedestrian collisions, due to the height of the <br />vehicle's front end and take up more space in cities.<br />While 20% of the SUVs sold in 2023 <br />were either full electric or plug-in hybrids, <br />the vehicles require larger batteries, which <br />places a strain on supplies of critical minerals. .<br />In 2023, there were over 360 million SUVs <br />on roads worldwide, which were responsible <br />for more than 1 billion tons of carbon emissions, <br />increasing by about 10% compared to 2022
