The opportunity to cut emissions is narrowing
The world has a window of opportunity to cut emissions from burning fossil fuels more rapidly and avoid a series of increasingly dire consequences as the atmosphere gets hotter, but that window is shrinking rapidly, according to findings released by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The United Nations has just recorded the summer of 2023 as the hottest summer on record, with average temperatures far above previous records and the consequences being death, destruction and suffering. From historic heatwaves in many parts of the world, to record-breaking wildfires in Canada and Europe, to flooding caused by heavy rains in places like Greece, China and Florida (USA).
Global emissions hit a record high again in 2022, and the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has risen to levels not seen in millions of years. Greenhouse gas emissions from human activities have already warmed the Earth by about 1.2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and humans are adding carbon pollution to the atmosphere so quickly that the world could exhaust its remaining “carbon budget” in just a few years.
In light of this, Mr. Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, urged countries around the world to “be more ambitious and step up their action.” He called on governments to carefully study the findings of the UN report and understand what it means for them and the ambitious action they must take next. The same goes for businesses, communities and other key stakeholders.
The report summarizes 17 key findings from technical discussions in 2022 and 2023 on the status of the Paris Agreement on climate change and its long-term goals, based on the best available science, said David Waskow, director of the International Climate Initiative at the World Resources Institute (WRI). The findings cover topics such as adapting to climate change, boosting funding to help poor countries transition away from fossil fuels as they develop, and acting more urgently to cut emissions, and provides a detailed roadmap for the kind of transition needed in the years ahead.
Inspire radical action
More work is needed in all areas, from mitigating the impacts of climate change to addressing loss and damage, the report said. “While there are well-known gaps, the technical findings highlight existing opportunities and innovative solutions to close these gaps,” the UNFCCC said.
The report, which outlines recommendations to accelerate implementation, action and support across all sectors, comes ahead of a “global stocktake” at the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, later this year. At the stocktake, delegates will assess whether they are making overall progress towards meeting their climate goals and identify areas where they are falling short.
Farhan Akhtar, one of the moderators of the technical discussions, highlighted the broad engagement of governments, experts and other key stakeholders. “The discussions show that the Paris Agreement has inspired widespread action, significantly reducing projections of future warming. This global stocktake comes at a critical time to inspire further global action to tackle the climate crisis.”
Meanwhile, COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber said the world is lagging behind in the race to meet climate change targets. To achieve that target, emissions must be reduced by 43% by 2030. That is why the COP28 President has put forward an ambitious action agenda focused on fast-tracking a just and well-managed energy transition that leaves no one behind, tackling climate finance, focusing on people's lives and livelihoods...
“We can do all of this, while also generating sustainable economic growth for our people, but we must unite more than ever to move from ambition to action and from “empty words” to real results,” the COP28 President believes.
Marcene Mitchell, senior vice president for climate change at the World Wildlife Fund, said the UN report is a reminder for leaders to find ways to move faster in the fight against climate change.
In some ways, the UN assessment marks just the latest chapter in a litany of studies and points to the many ways in which the world has failed to adequately address the risks of climate change. But it focuses on transformative, broad-based actions that can help avoid the worst consequences of global warming, including: boosting renewable energy, phasing out fossil fuels, ending deforestation, boosting climate finance for developing countries, and driving change that reduces poverty and environmental injustice.
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