If countries fulfil their current climate commitments, global greenhouse gas emissions will rise by 10.6 percent by 2030 compared to 2010 levels, according to a United Nations report released on Wednesday.
The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says a 43 percent reduction in emissions by 2030 is needed to limit warming to 1.5 Celsius above pre-industrial temperatures.
With world leaders expected to gather in Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt for the COP27 climate summit from Nov. 6, experts said more action was urgently needed.
“At the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow last year, all countries agreed to revisit and strengthen their climate plans,” said Simon Stiell, executive secretary of UN Climate Change in a statement. “The fact that only 24 new or updated climate plans were submitted since COP26 is disappointing.”
These include Bolivia, Vanuatu and Uganda, as well as the large emitter nations of India and Indonesia. The latter, which sees most emissions come from deforestation and peatland clearance, now says it will cut emissions levels by at least 31.89 percent by 2030.
Globally, inadequate pledges put the world on a path to warm by 2.5C by 2100.
Still, a 10.6 percent increase in emissions represents slight progress. Last year’s UN assessment found countries were on track to up emissions by 13.7 percent by 2030.
By Gloria Dickie; Editor: Janet Lawrence
Learn more:
How Fashion Can Deliver on COP26 Ambitions
Amid mounting evidence of fashion’s dramatically negative climate impact, countries, communities and companies are mobilising around protecting the planet. However, a new era of climate action will be required if fashion is to meet ambitious targets to reverse the damage being done.
