Where do we stand on tackling climate change?published at 16:14 GMT 6 November
16:14 GMT 6 November
Mark Poynting
Climate reporter
Image source, Getty Images
We’ve just heard from several world leaders, and Prince William, about the fast approaching threats of climate change.
Here’s where the world currently stands on tackling climate change:
Ten years ago in Paris,
nearly 200 countries pledged to keep global temperature rises “well
below” 2C above pre-industrial levels and to try to limit warming to 1.5C.
Nations agreed that
meeting the Paris targets would greatly reduce the impacts of climate change.
At the time, the world
was on course for global warming of nearly 4C.
Since then, there’s been
considerable progress – but not enough.
Based on current
policies, the world could be on course for about 2.8C of warming compared with the
late 1800s, according to figures released this week by the UN Environment
Programme (UNEP).
And even if the new,
more ambitious pledges made by countries ahead of COP30 were implemented,
warming could reach 2.3–2.5C, UNEP says.
That’s even without
accounting for the US rolling back on its commitments.
So it’s no surprise that
the UN is calling for “rapid and unprecedented cuts” to emissions “far above
what has been pledged” if the Paris goals are to be met.
That’s quite a task for the world leaders in Brazil today.