UN Report: World off track to meet Paris Agreement targets

Global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have increased by 1.2 per cent, according to the Emissions Gap Report 2023. The report says temperatures have hit new highs, yet the world fails to cut emissions in line with the 1.5°C pathway.

The report further highlights that all sectors apart from transport have fully rebounded from the Covid-19 induced drop (4.7 per cent) in emissions and now exceed 2019 levels as emissions of methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases increase rapidly, according to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) chief scientist Anne Olholf. 
 “As global temperatures and greenhouse gas emissions break records, the latest report finds that current pledges under the Paris Agreement put the world on track for a 2.5-2.9°C temperature rise above pre-industrial levels this century, pointing to the urgent need for increased climate action,” she explained. 
However, some progress since the Paris Agreement has been observed collectively, and if fully implemented, all new and updated unconditional climate plans will result in an annual reduction of global GHG emissions of about five gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent ( GtCO2e) by 2030. A gigatonne is a thousand million tonnes.

 “We know it is still possible to make the 1.5°C limit a reality. It requires tearing out the poisoned root of the climate crisis: fossil fuels. And it demands a just, equitable renewables transition,” said Antònio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations.

 “There is no person or economy left on the planet untouched by climate change, so we need to stop setting unwanted records on greenhouse gas emissions, global temperature highs and extreme weather,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. 
The report also highlights that until the beginning of October this year, 86 days were recorded with temperatures over 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. September was the hottest recorded month ever, with global average temperatures 1.8°C above pre-industrial levels. 
 “The findings show that global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions increased by 1.2 per cent from 2021 to 2022 to reach a new record of 57.4 (GtCO2e). GHG emissions across the G20 increased by 1.2 per cent in 2022. Emissions trends reflect global patterns of inequality. Because of these worrying trends and insufficient mitigation efforts, the world is on track for a temperature rise far beyond the agreed climate goals during this century,” UNEP said. 

 “If all conditional NDCs and long-term net-zero pledges were met, limiting the temperature rise to 2°C would be possible. However, net-zero pledges are not currently considered credible: none of the G20 countries are reducing emissions at a pace consistent with their net-zero targets. Even in the most optimistic scenario, the likelihood of limiting warming to 1.5°C is only 14 per cent,” the report highlighted.
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