Jakarta – In a recent report, the UN Climate Change has underscored the inadequacy of national climate action plans in the global effort to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius and achieve the Paris Agreement goals, the UN body said in a press release. Despite some increased efforts by certain nations, the analysis reveals a critical need for more substantial action to alter the current trajectory of global emissions and avert the severe consequences of climate change.
Executive-Secretary of UN Climate Change, Simon Stiell, emphasised the need for decisive action at COP28 in Dubai, stating, “Today’s report shows that governments combined are taking baby steps to avert the climate crisis. And it shows why governments must make bold strides forward at COP28 in Dubai, to get on track.”
Stiell highlighted COP28 as a pivotal moment, urging governments not only to agree on more decisive climate actions but also to outline practical steps for their implementation. The first global stocktake at COP28 is expected to reignite momentum, allowing nations to intensify efforts across all areas and align with the Paris Agreement goals. This stocktake will inform the next round of climate action plans (Nationally Determined Contributions or ‘NDCs’) due by 2025.
Stiell pointed out that the Global Stocktake report identifies areas where progress is slow but presents various tools and solutions countries propose. He stressed the urgency for governments to implement these solutions, considering the latest findings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which recommends a 43% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
The report analysed the NDCs of 195 parties to the Paris Agreement, including 20 new or updated submissions. Although emissions are no longer projected to increase after 2030, they still fall short of the rapid downward trend required to meet climate targets. If the latest NDCs are implemented, emissions will increase by approximately 8.8% compared to 2010 levels.
To achieve emission peaking before 2030, the report emphasises the need to implement conditional elements in NDCs, requiring enhanced financial resources, technology transfer, technical cooperation, and capacity-building support.
In a separate report on long-term low-emission development strategies, UN Climate Change revealed that countries’ greenhouse gas emissions could be 63% lower in 2050 compared to 2019 if all strategies are fully implemented. However, the report cautioned that many net-zero targets remain uncertain, postponing critical actions needed now.
As COP28 approaches, the global community faces a pivotal moment to address climate change with ambition and urgency, aligning actions with the Paris Agreement to secure a sustainable future. (nsh)
