- The UN report shows nations are only on track to reduce emissions by 2.6% by 2030, far below the 43% needed to limit warming to 1.5°C.
- 2023 saw record CO₂ concentrations, heightening the urgency for immediate action to prevent economic and social crises.
- The UN urges countries to revise their climate pledges and increase climate finance to help developing nations transition to cleaner energy.
A new UN report warns that global efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C remain inadequate, threatening economies and lives. Two weeks before the 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, the report highlights how countries fail to meet climate targets, putting the world at risk of severe impacts.
UN Climate’s findings reveal that nations under the 2015 Paris Agreement plan to reduce emissions by only 2.6% by 2030 compared to 2019. This falls drastically short of the 43% reduction the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recommends to maintain the 1.5°C goal. Inaction could lead to widespread and devastating consequences.
Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), urges countries to revise their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and increase their ambitions. He stresses the need for immediate revisions ahead of COP30 in 2025. “We are running out of time to limit warming within safe boundaries,” Stiell said.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reports that 2023 greenhouse gas concentrations reached record highs, with carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels increasing faster than ever. Experts warn that achieving the 1.5°C target will become increasingly difficult without urgent changes. Economies worldwide face severe disruptions, leading to social and financial crises, unless nations accelerate emission cuts.
The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) adds to these warnings. Current policies could raise global temperatures by 3.1°C by the end of the century. Even with conditional pledges tied to financial support for developing countries, temperatures could rise by 2.6°C, far above the safe threshold of 1.5°C set in the Paris Agreement.
Inger Andersen, UNEP’s Executive Director, calls for immediate, large-scale action. “We are losing the opportunity to avoid the worst impacts,” Andersen cautions, urging governments to act decisively before it’s too late to meet the 1.5°C target.
The UN report stresses that all economies will suffer from unchecked warming, with developing countries facing the harshest effects. High temperatures will lead to extreme weather events, food insecurity, and mass displacement. UN Climate calls for a “new era of acceleration,” urging countries to not only recommit to their goals but also adopt more aggressive strategies to reduce emissions.
COP29 will focus on climate finance, with discussions centred on funding energy transitions. Developing nations, in particular, need financial support to meet their emissions targets. International cooperation will play a crucial role in helping vulnerable nations withstand the effects of climate change.
As world leaders gather for COP29, the pressure mounts for urgent action. The UN’s message is clear: without more substantial commitments, the world will miss the 1.5°C target, setting the stage for disastrous consequences for people and the planet.