A newly released United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report has sounded the alarm on the escalating climate crisis, warning that the world is on track to experience a 3.1 degrees Celsius temperature rise above pre-industrial levels. The report emphasizes that immediate and substantial action is essential to prevent the most devastating impacts of global warming.
The annual Emissions Gap Report highlights a stark reality: even if all countries fully implement their current climate pledges, global temperatures could still rise by 1.8 degrees Celsius by the end of the century. This level of warming is insufficient to avoid severe consequences such as intensified heat waves, wildfires, storms, and droughts.
According to UNEP's report, the only scenario that offers a glimmer of hope is the \"most optimistic\" pathway, which involves the largest cuts in fossil fuel usage. Under this scenario, there is a 23% chance of keeping warming below the critical 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold set by the 2015 Paris Agreement. However, even this ambitious pathway is unlikely to succeed, with projections indicating a temperature rise of approximately 1.9 degrees Celsius.
Anne Olhoff, the report's main editor and chief climate advisor to the UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre, stated, \"The main message is that action right now and right here before 2030 is critical if we want to lower the temperature. It is now or never really if we want to keep 1.5 alive.\"
Despite the availability of technically and economically feasible solutions to reduce emissions, the report points out a significant gap between nations' pledges and their actual policies. Of the world's 20 richest countries, responsible for 77% of carbon emissions, only 11 are meeting their emission-cutting goals.
Climate scientists express deep concern over the findings. Johan Rockstrom, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, warned, \"We are not making progress and are now following a 3.1 degree Celsius path, which is, with next to zero uncertainty, a path to disaster.\"
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres echoed the urgency, stating, \"There is a direct link between increasing emissions and increasingly frequent and intense climate disasters. We're playing with fire, but there can be no more playing for time. We're out of time.\"
The report underscores the necessity for drastic emission reductions by 2030 to stay within safe temperature limits. Without swift and comprehensive action, the world risks facing irreversible damage from climate change.
Reference(s):
Immediate action needed to curb climate crisis, UN report warns
cgtn.com
