On Thursday, the United Nations released its latest attempt at fearmongering about the Earth’s climate with its annual “Emissions Gap Report.” The report claims that unless the nations of the world finally get serious about reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the goal of keeping the global temperature increase at or below 1.5C below pre-industrial levels will soon be gone. A much warmer future is in store for us all.
“Climate Crunch Time”
The new report says that without drastic and meaningful reductions to nationally determined contributions (NDCs) of emissions cuts, the globe is on pace to warm as much as 3.1C by the 22nd century. Of course, the report maintains that the world’s largest economies must play a prominent role.
Said Inger Andersen, executive director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP):
Climate crunch time is here. We need global mobilization on a scale and pace never seen before — starting right now, before the next round of climate pledges — or the 1.5°C goal will soon be dead and well below 2°C will take its place in the intensive care unit. I urge every nation: no more hot air, please. Use the upcoming COP29 talks in Baku, Azerbaijan, to increase action now, set the stage for stronger NDCs, and then go all-out to get on a 1.5°C pathway.
“Planetary Tightrope”
Never one to be outdone in hyperbole, António Guterres of “global boiling” fame claimed that the world is “teetering on a planetary tightrope.” Disaster is ahead if nations fail to reach new emissions goals for the planet:
Either leaders bridge the emissions gap or we plunge headlong into climate disaster — with the poorest and most vulnerable suffering the most.
The UN report stresses that the 1.5C goal is still attainable, but only at great sacrifice. A UN press release for the report contends that
It remains technically possible to get on a 1.5°C pathway, with solar, wind and forests holding real promise for sweeping and fast emissions cuts. To deliver on this potential, sufficiently strong NDCs would need to be backed urgently by a whole-of-government approach, measures that maximize socioeconomic and environmental co-benefits, enhanced international collaboration that includes reform of the global financial architecture, strong private sector action and a minimum six-fold increase in mitigation investment. G20 nations, particularly the largest-emitting members, would need to do the heavy lifting.
The report claims that global emissions must be cut by 42 percent by 2030 and by 57 percent by 2035 to align with the goals set in the 2015 Paris climate agreement.
While the UN doesn’t expect COP29 — next year’s annual climate change conference — to necessarily yield any new emissions goals or funding agreements, organizers believer it will be a good place to start the discussions. According to Guterres:
COP29 starts the clock for countries to deliver new national climate action plans — or NDCs — by next year. Governments have agreed to align these plans with 1.5 degrees.
He added:
Today’s report shows affordable, existing technologies can achieve the emissions reductions we need [by] 2030 and 2035 to meet the 1.5-degree limit. But only with a surge in ambition and support.
But these “affordable, existing technologies” remain wind and solar power. These have so far not been up to the task of powering a modern industrial society — not even close. And the main source of funding remains wealthy nations, who shoulder the cost for everyone else.
So, the new report only consists of the same tired talking points the United Nations has been using since the Kyoto Protocol in 1997. You’d think that in the 27 years since then they’d come up with something original.
