Greenhouse gas concentrations have surged to record levels, with carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increasing by 11.4% in just two decades, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). This rise in CO2 levels, along with increases in methane and nitrous oxide, is setting the planet on a trajectory for rising temperatures for years to come. The news comes just ahead of the COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan next month.
The UN also published a report showing that current national policies to cut greenhouse gas emissions are falling far short of what is needed to limit catastrophic global warming. To stay within the Paris Agreement target of limiting warming to 1.5C, emissions need to be cut by 43% by 2030, but current policies are only expected to reduce global emissions by 2.6% by the end of the decade.
As countries work on new, stronger nationally determined contributions (NDCs), due in February next year, the report highlights the urgent need for ambitious action from world leaders at COP29. The UNFCCC executive secretary stressed the need for bolder climate plans to avert climate chaos and create transformational change for people and prosperity in every nation.
These findings come in the wake of a UN Environment Programme warning that the chances of limiting global warming to 1.5C are “virtually zero”. The reports underscore the urgent need for decisive action to address climate change and ensure a sustainable future for the planet.
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