By Meletus EZE
Nations need to triple their efforts if global warming is to be kept to an internationally agreed goal of two degrees Celsius, the UN’s environment agency said in a report issued on Tuesday.
“Current national commitments aimed at reaching the two degree goal enshrined in the Paris agreement would lead to warming of three degrees by 2100, with warming continuing after that,’’ the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) said.
Global emissions of greenhouse gases rose in 2017 after three years of stability.
It, however, showed no signs of changing direction.
The UNEP also warned in its annual report on the gap between national commitments and the measures needed to keep global warming within agreed limits.
“Total emissions were a record 53.5 gigatonnes (billion tonnes) of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent in 2017, up 0.7 gigatonnes on 2016.
“Greenhouse gas emissions need to be cut by 25 per cent by 2030 to put the planet on a path towards limiting global warming to two degrees,’’ the report said.
They would have to be cut by 55 per cent to stick to a more ambitious 1.5-degree limit, which world experts last month said would be needed to avoid long-lasting or irreversible changes.
“The kind of drastic, large-scale action we urgently need has yet to be seen,’’ the UN warned.
However, the report saw some signs of hope in growing commitments by local governments and non-state actors to climate action.
It noted that while they were currently minimal they could be scaled up to make a significant impact.
