UN warns world on climate change, calls Emissions Gap report 'wake-up call' ahead of COP26

With just four days remaining for the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP26, in Glasgow, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on nations to implement robust carbon-cutting programmes in order to avert a "climate catastrophe." Noting that the new and updated climate commitments "fall far short of what is needed to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement", he said that "the world is on track for a global temperature rise of at least 2.7°C this century, according to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)." As per the latest UNEP Emissions Gap Report 2021, updated Nationally Determined Contributions only take 7.5% off predicted 2030 emissions, while 55% is needed to meet the 1.5°C Paris goal, the UN said in a statement.

The climate change report ahead of the global climate summit is a "thundering wake-up call, and how many do we need," the UN Chief asserted at the UNGA on Tuesday. Earlier this week, Guterres also expressed concerns after the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) released new high records of global surface warming, especially affecting the vulnerable populations in Africa. Following the current crises, there is no way the global rise in temperature could be contained within 1.5°C, scientists of the Emissions Report stated.

Global rise in temperature could go up by 2.7°C

Highlighting the harrowing impacts of climate change, executive director of UNEP Inger Andersen noted that "to stand a chance of limiting global warming to 1.5°C, we have eight years to almost halve greenhouse gas emissions: eight years to make the plans, put in place the policies, implement them and ultimately deliver the cuts. The clock is ticking loudly." He also stressed the point that climate change is "no longer a future problem. It is a now problem."

To achieve the standing goals, global carbon emissions have to go down by 55% by 2030, although, as it seems at the current rate it could culminate to only 7.5% in the next five years, which could lead to a global rise in temperature to somewhere around 2.7°C. However, in some positive signs, the Emissions Gap report mentioned that if nations can uphold the "Net-Zero" commitments, there is still potential to shave off another 0.5°C leading to an annual rise by 2°C. 

As of 30 September 2021, 120 countries, representing just over half of global greenhouse gas emissions, had communicated new or updated NDCs. In addition, three G20 members have announced other new mitigation pledges for 2030. Additionally, around 50+ countries of the EU have also vowed a Net-Zero target for the middle of the century, which remains an ambitious goal looking at the current situation.

(Image: AP/Unsplash)