As part of its latest assessment of progress on climate change, the UN has reported that there is still a significant gap between the pledges made by governments to cut greenhouse gas emissions and the reductions that scientists claim are required to avoid dangerous levels of climate change. This gap does not account for the consequences of a US withdrawal from the Paris agreement, which could make the situation even worse as, after China, the US is the world's second largest emitter of greenhouse gases.
Current plans made by national governments, private sector companies and local authorities across the world could lead to temperature rises of three degrees Celsius or more by the end of the century, far in excess of the goal set by the 2015 Paris agreement to keep warming at two degrees or less, a level that scientists say is the limit of safety. Although carbon dioxide emissions have held steady globally since 2014, emissions of other greenhouse gases such as methane have increased.
Growing investment in renewable energy has made low-carbon power more attractive as an alternative to fossil fuels as it becomes cheaper, meaning that there are indications the world is moving away from its high-emissions trajectory. However, the UN warned of the danger that, if buildings and infrastructure continue to be built along current lines, they may 'lock in' emissions for the future. Cities should be designed instead to, for example, favour public transport and to make space for the generation of renewable energy.
According to the report, private companies could also make a real difference, as the world's one hundred highest-emitting publicly traded companies account for one quarter of global emissions. This indicates the scope for reducing the prospective dangers of global warming if these companies were to make changes to their business practices.
The UN's environment chief, Erik Solheim, said: "We still find ourselves in a situation where we are not doing nearly enough to save hundreds of millions of people from a miserable future. This is unacceptable. If we invest in the right technologies, ensuring that the private sector is involved, we can still meet the promise we made to our children to protect their future. But we have to get on the case now."
