Existing emissions pledges barely scratch climate targets, U.N. tally finds

By Matthew Green

 

FILE PHOTO: Cars move on a road during a day with polluted air, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Beijing, China February 13, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins/File Photo

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Pledges made so far under the 2015 Paris accord would deliver less than a 1% reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 -- a fraction of the 45% cut needed to avert catastrophic climate change, according to a U.N. report published on Friday.

 

The tally underscored the challenge negotiators face as they try to secure more ambitious commitments from big polluters ahead of a climate conference in Glasgow in November that is seen as the most important since the Paris deal was signed.

 

"While we acknowledge the recent political shift in momentum towards stronger climate action throughout the world, decisions to accelerate and broaden climate action everywhere must be taken now," said U.N. climate chief Patricia Espinosa.

 

The report aimed to provide governments with a stock take on progress in implementing the Paris deal by the almost 200 countries that adopted it five years ago.

 

It found that 75 parties, jointly representing about 30% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, had submitted new or revised emissions plans by Dec. 31. These included European Union countries and nations such as Britain, Japan, Mexico, Brazil and Australia.

 

If implemented, the combined impact of these pledges would be to shave less than 1% off global emissions by the end of this decade compared to 2010 levels.

 

Scientists say emissions must fall by about 45% by 2030 to limit the rise in average global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius -- the most ambitious Paris goal.

 

Major polluters such as China, the United States, and India have yet to unveil revised pledges ahead of the conference, leaving open the possibility that strong commitments from these and other countries could still improve the outlook.

 

"This is a status report. It's weak but there are many big emitters who can significantly change the picture this year," said Christiana Figueres, an architect of the Paris deal and co-founder of Global Optimism, a network promoting climate action.

 

(Reporting by Matthew Green; Editing by Frances Kerry)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-02-27

 

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As long as China remains the world’s top polluter, and does little about it—it makes no sense for other countries to comply.  Don’t play into China’s hands. They control the solar panel industry, too.

1 hour ago, Isaan sailor said:

As long as China remains the world’s top polluter, and does little about it—it makes no sense for other countries to comply.  Don’t play into China’s hands. They control the solar panel industry, too.

If all of Europe, Britain, Japan, Mexico, Brazil and Australia reach their goals, it will matter worldwide.

 

If you just sit and moan about China, with the attitude "If they don't do anything, we won't do anything" - then the world will go down in flames.

 

Let's simplify. Don't you feel great when you cut the grass, and the garden looks beautiful?

No need to look to the neighbor and say "If he doesn't cut the grass - then I won't as well" .

 

Every great journey starts with a little step. Start walking by yourself and see who might follow.

A post containing false or misleading information and no credible citation has been removed.

 

How about the volcanoes, when they erupt, they affect the gases in the atmosphere as well, but the Green people do not want us to know just how much the natural world affects our climate.  Modernizing the factories, and making less polluting vehicles help the situation, but I hate the governments just charging a carbon tax and squandering the money.  Pipelines do not pollute, and oil will be needed for many more life times as it is used in making so many other products.

    I support the factories and other big machines should have scrubbers and other means to reduce the harmful emissions that they produce, so the countries in the world that have factories should keep on modernizing them.

Geezer

4 hours ago, Stargrazer9889 said:

How about the volcanoes, when they erupt, they affect the gases in the atmosphere as well, but the Green people do not want us to know just how much the natural world affects our climate.  Modernizing the factories, and making less polluting vehicles help the situation, but I hate the governments just charging a carbon tax and squandering the money.  Pipelines do not pollute, and oil will be needed for many more life times as it is used in making so many other products.

    I support the factories and other big machines should have scrubbers and other means to reduce the harmful emissions that they produce, so the countries in the world that have factories should keep on modernizing them.

Geezer

It's hardly a secret about the affect that volcanic eruptions have on climate and no one is trying to keep it a secret.  It can take years for the climate to adjust to a massive volcanic eruption, but it eventually does.

 

What humans are doing is on a larger scale and it is consistent, it is tons of CO2 and other gasses pumped into the atmosphere daily.   You can't do that without paying a price.