Electric emissions levels have exceeded their pre-pandemic levels, according to new research by the London-based environmental think tank Ember.

Ember has found emissions were 5% higher in the first six months of 2021 than they were in the first six months of 2019. The report stated that “no country has yet achieved a truly ‘green recovery’ for their power sector.” But it did note that the U.S., European Union, Japan, and South Korea have achieved some reductions.

The report found that 61% of electricity was generated from fossil fuels and coal created 43% of the additional energy between 2019 and 2020 after falling 4%. Coal is responsible for 30% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Despite the 4% drop in coal, scientists warn that the world must quickly transfer away from coal and that society is not doing it fast enough.

“Progress is nowhere near fast enough. Despite coal’s record drop during the pandemic, it still fell short of what is needed,” Ember lead analyst Dave Jones said in a statement.

Jones added that coal production must fall 80% before the end of the decade in order to avoid dangerous levels of global warming above 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Scientists warn that without immediate rapid reduction to global emissions the average global temperature will cross 1.5 Celsius in the next 20 years.

“Increasing temperatures mean more melting ice, higher sea levels, more heatwaves, and other extreme weather, and greater impacts on food security, health, the environment, and sustainable development,” said World Meteorologist Organization secretary-general Professor Petteri Taalas.

Scientists warn that if temperatures rise about 1.5 degrees Celsius it will lead to more heatwaves, extreme rainstorms, water shortages, drought, higher sea levels, destruction of coral reefs, lower crop yields, and economic losses.

President Biden aims to reduce 50% of the world’s carbon emissions by the year 2030.

Climate change