Climate change: UN calls for radical changes to stem warming

Addressing climate change requires a swift overhaul of how our world operates, travels, consumes, and utilizes energy, according to a significant UN assessment.

This marks the inaugural "global stocktake" examining nations' endeavors to diminish emissions causing planetary warming since the 2015 signing of the Paris Agreement.

While progress has occurred, there is now an imperative need for substantial escalation.

The report advocates for "radical decarbonization," including the rapid abandonment of fossil fuels without carbon capture technology.

Burning fossil fuels like oil, gas, and coal for power generation emits carbon dioxide, the principal driver of climate change. Carbon capture in industrial procedures and power plants traps the majority of the CO2, either reusing it or storing it underground.

Furthermore, renewable energy must undergo substantial expansion, and deforestation must cease and be reversed by 2030.

This stocktake report will be scrutinized by world leaders and play a central role in the upcoming global climate discussions in Dubai later this year.

Over the past two years, the UN has evaluated the commitments made by countries under the 2015 Paris Agreement. In that agreement, nations aimed to constrain warming since the industrial revolution to well below 2°C, with efforts to keep it below 1.5°C.

Carbon Emissions

The report assesses their endeavors to reduce carbon emissions, adapt to climate change, and their mobilization of financial and technological resources to assist less affluent nations in tackling the issue.

The report doesn't single out or criticize any specific country, focusing on the collective approach to tackling climate change.

While recognizing substantial progress, the document acknowledges that the predicted global temperature rise for this century still exceeds the commitments made in Paris.

To adhere to these goals, the stocktake calls for a significant increase in ambition, advocating for a comprehensive "system transformation." This entails altering every facet of our societies to mitigate rising temperatures.

This transformation covers energy production, travel, work, and food production. Experts emphasize that governments must take the lead to ensure that their climate initiatives are not undermined by other policies and investments.

The report strongly advocates for the rapid expansion of renewable energy sources, particularly wind and solar. It also underscores that fossil fuels lacking carbon capture have no place in the future, labeling them as "essential elements" for a just transition to net-zero emissions by mid-century.

In the transport sector, electric vehicles are highlighted as having the most significant potential for mitigation. Additionally, the report stresses the importance of adopting climate-friendly, healthy diets, reducing food waste, and promoting sustainable agriculture to effectively reduce emissions.

The stocktake delves into climate adaptation and finance, a persistent point of contention for developing nations. It calls for a swift increase in funding from a broader array of sources.

The overarching objective of this stocktake is to ensure that governments' forthcoming carbon reduction plans submitted to the UN in 2025 surpass current ambitions.

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