AFP, Geneva :
Earth remains on course to warm more than 3 degrees Celsius by the century’s end despite a dip in greenhouse gas emissions due to the pandemic and pledges to curb pollution, the UN said Wednesday.
In its annual assessment of emissions levels, the UN’s Environment Programme found that 2020’s 7-percent fall in carbon pollution would have “negligible impact” on warming without a broad and rapid shift away from fossil fuels.
The Emissions Gap report analyses the gulf between action required under the Paris climate deal and emissions cuts currently planned by countries.
It found that a “green recovery” from the pandemic, in which emerging net-zero pledges are accelerated, could shave 25 percent off of emissions by 2030.
This would bring the world closer to levels required to limit warming to 2C (3.6 Farenheit), as stipulated under Paris.
With just over 1C of warming since pre-industrial times, Earth is already experiencing stronger and more frequent droughts, wildfires and superstorms rendered deadlier by rising seas.
“The year 2020 is on course to be one of the warmest on record, while wildfires, storms and droughts continue to wreak havoc,” said UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen.
She said Wednesday’s report showed that a green pandemic recovery “can take a huge slice out of greenhouse gas emissions and help slow climate change”.
UNEP said last year that emissions must fall 7.6 percent annually through 2030 in order to keep the more ambitious Paris temperature goal of 1.5C in play.
Earth remains on course to warm more than 3 degrees Celsius by the century’s end despite a dip in greenhouse gas emissions due to the pandemic and pledges to curb pollution, the UN said Wednesday.
In its annual assessment of emissions levels, the UN’s Environment Programme found that 2020’s 7-percent fall in carbon pollution would have “negligible impact” on warming without a broad and rapid shift away from fossil fuels.
The Emissions Gap report analyses the gulf between action required under the Paris climate deal and emissions cuts currently planned by countries.
It found that a “green recovery” from the pandemic, in which emerging net-zero pledges are accelerated, could shave 25 percent off of emissions by 2030.
This would bring the world closer to levels required to limit warming to 2C (3.6 Farenheit), as stipulated under Paris.
With just over 1C of warming since pre-industrial times, Earth is already experiencing stronger and more frequent droughts, wildfires and superstorms rendered deadlier by rising seas.
“The year 2020 is on course to be one of the warmest on record, while wildfires, storms and droughts continue to wreak havoc,” said UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen.
She said Wednesday’s report showed that a green pandemic recovery “can take a huge slice out of greenhouse gas emissions and help slow climate change”.
UNEP said last year that emissions must fall 7.6 percent annually through 2030 in order to keep the more ambitious Paris temperature goal of 1.5C in play.
