A recent comprehensive report has issued a stark warning about the world’s efforts to combat climate change. This report, termed a “global stocktake” and compiled by the United Nations ahead of the upcoming COP28 climate summit, underscores that current actions are insufficient to avert severe climate disruption resulting from rising global temperatures.
The key takeaway from this report is the urgent need to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions at a much faster rate if we hope to limit the rise in global temperatures to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. Currently, we have already experienced a temperature increase of nearly 1.2 degrees Celsius since pre-industrial times. This escalation has triggered alarming signs of atmospheric instability.
For instance, the period spanning from June to August has recorded the highest temperatures in the history of temperature records. Additionally, the year 2023 has been characterized by widespread wildfires, extreme rainfall, and the shrinking of sea ice in Antarctica. These visible climate impacts further emphasize the pressing need for action.
According to the UN report, the commitments made by countries to reduce carbon dioxide emissions are still 20.3 to 23.9 gigatonnes higher than what is required to align with the 1.5-degree target by 2030. This glaring disparity underscores the necessity for more ambitious and immediate efforts to curb emissions.
The report doesn’t mince words in urging world leaders to phase out all unmitigated use of oil, gas, and coal, which may incite controversy among nations that have previously resisted such calls. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of halting deforestation by 2030 as a critical step in mitigating climate change.
Ani Dasgupta, the head of the World Resources Institute, points out that while there have been some notable advancements, such as the increased adoption of renewable energy and electric vehicles, the overall assessment in the report reveals more gaps than progress. The report underscores that these gaps can only be closed through transformative changes across sectors like energy, food, land, and transportation. Our planet’s future hinges on whether world leaders will use this sobering assessment as a catalyst for profound systemic transformation.
This report comes in the context of the ongoing review of commitments made by countries under the Paris Agreement in 2015. These commitments aim to reduce emissions in line with the goal of keeping global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius, ideally as close to 1.5 degrees as possible. The findings of this global stocktake will serve as the foundation for discussions at the upcoming climate summit scheduled for December in Dubai.
Gareth Redmond-King from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit emphasizes the need to act swiftly in the face of the human and financial costs of climate change, which are becoming increasingly evident in the form of devastating wildfires and floods. The report’s message is clear: these costs will continue to rise unless we transition away from fossil fuels, accelerate the shift towards renewables, and achieve net-zero emissions.