Global efforts to tackle climate change are way off track says the UN, as it details the first rise in CO2 emissions in four years. The emissions gap report says that economic growth is responsible for a rise in 2017 while national efforts to cut carbon have faltered. To meet the goals of the Paris climate pact, the study says it’s crucial that global emissions peak by 2020. But the analysis says that this is now not likely even by 2030. The report comes days before a major UN climate conference starting in Poland from 2-14 December.
BBC 27th Nov 2018 read more »
Times 28th Nov 2018 read more »
Countries are failing to take the action needed to stave off the worst effects of climate change, a UN report has found, and the commitments made in the 2015 Paris agreement will not be met unless governments introduce additional measures as a matter of urgency. New taxes on fossil fuels, investment in clean technology and much stronger government policies to bring down emissions are likely to be necessary. Governments must also stop subsidising fossil fuels, directly and indirectly, the UN said. Gunnar Luderer, one of the authors of the UN report and senior scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany, said: “There is still a tremendous gap between words and deeds, between the targets agreed by governments and the measures to achieve these goals.
Guardian 27th Nov 2018 read more »
Independent 27th Nov 2018 read more »
The world is far from being on track to meet its climate targets unless emission-reduction commitments are dramatically expanded, according to the latest UN Environment Programme (UNEP) emissions gap report. The report suggests that existing nationally determined contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement are not sufficient. It adds that emission reductions from climate pledges need “to be roughly tripled” to limit warming to well below 2C above pre-industrial levels in 2100. Holding warming below 1.5C would require existing commitments to be “increased around fivefold”.
Carbon Brief 27th Nov 2018 read more »