According to the United Nations, there are some “glimmers of hope” in the fight against climate change, but they are far from sufficient. The goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees by the end of the century will not come close. It could be closer to 2.5 degrees. This is according to a report published on Wednesday by the UN Secretariat for Climate Change in Bonn.
It is based on the evaluation of the climate protection plans of all countries that have signed the Paris climate agreement. According to the calculations, CO2 emissions will increase by 10.6 percent in 2030 compared to 2010. This is an improvement on last year’s estimate that the increase in 2030 would be 13.7 percent. Last year’s report also concluded that emissions would continue to rise after 2030. After evaluating new data from the 193 countries, this is no longer to be feared and emissions are likely to fall. However, the predicted decrease in CO2 emissions after 2030 is still far from sufficient to achieve the 1.5 degree target.
“Tighten climate protection plans now”
“To keep this goal within reach, national governments must tighten up their climate protection plans now and implement them over the next eight years,” UN climate chief Simon Stiell warned. It is disappointing that since last year’s Glasgow climate conference, only 24 countries have submitted amended plans, although everyone agreed it should be done now.
“Government decisions and actions must reflect the urgency and magnitude of the threat we face – and the short time we have to avoid the devastating effects of uncontrollable climate change,” said the politician from the Caribbean island state of Grenada. At the next climate conference in Egypt next month, politicians should certainly seize the opportunity to significantly step up their efforts.
Low expectations for climate conference
However, the question is whether much can be achieved in Egypt. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock recently said the conference could even end without a final agreement between the participating countries. The minimal goal of the climate conference is “that it takes place. You never know in this world situation,” said Baerbock.
Even in the EU, climate protection measures are not yet sufficient to meet the target of reducing emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030. To meet the 2030 climate and energy targets, annual progress in reducing emissions and energy consumption and in expanding renewable energy sources must more than double, the EU Environment Agency EEA wrote in a report also published Wednesday.
Emissions fall far too slowly
Emissions should fall by an average of 134 million tons of CO2 per year – the average for the years 1990 to 2020 was just 52 million tons. “We cannot continue at the pace of the past,” said one of the authors of the EEA report, Melanie Sporer.
EU emissions developed in the opposite direction in 2021: according to preliminary data, greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union increased by an estimated five percent last year compared to 2020. According to the EEA, emissions have increased again, especially in transport , industry and energy supply. The EEA sees the main reason for this in the economic recovery after the pandemic, which in 2020 led to production shutdowns in many factories and restrictions on public life. Compared to the pre-Corona year 2019, emissions in 2021 were about six percent lower.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
