A new United Nations (UN) report has found that the world is not on track to meet its promises to reduce greenhouse gas emission with seven major polluters, including the US, well behind pledges made at the Paris Climate Change Conference three years ago.
The report finds that global greenhouse emissions could be between 13 and 15 billion tonnes more than the level needed to keep global warming below two degrees Celsius this century.
The findings were released just days ahead of a UN Climate Change Conference in Poland next month.
The Secretary-General’s spokesperson Stephane Dujarric explains, “The UN Environment Programme released its emissions gaps report which assesses the gap between anticipated emission levels in 2030 compared to the levels consistent with the 2 degree/1.5 degree Celsius target on Wednesday. The report warns that the current pace of international action is insufficient to meet the Paris targets and concluded that nations must triple their efforts to meet the two degree centigrade target and increase their ambitions fivefold to meet the 1.5 degree Celsius target. The report added that if the emissions gap is not closed by 2030, it is extremely unlikely that 2 degrees temperature goal can be reached.”
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