The NDC Synthesis Report shows that more ambitious national climate action plans in 2021 are required if they’re to achieve the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global temperature rise by 2°C—ideally 1.5°C—by the end of the century.
UNFCCC Report Explains How Countries Are Lacking in Achieving Paris Agreement Goal
New
Delhi (ABC Live India): UN Climate Change has
published an initial assessment of Nationally Determined Contributions, the NDC Synthesis
Report, showing nations must redouble efforts and submit stronger,
more ambitious national climate action plans in 2021 if they’re to achieve the Paris Agreement goal
of limiting global temperature rise by 2°C—ideally 1.5°C—by the end of the
century.
The report was requested by Parties to the Paris Agreement to
measure the progress of national climate action plans — known as NDCs —
ahead of COP26 this November in Glasgow. Covering submissions up to 31 December
2020, it shows 75 Parties have communicated a new or updated NDC, representing
approximately 30 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
“2021 is a make or break year to confront the global
climate emergency. The science is clear, to limit global temperature rise
to 1.5C, we must cut global emissions by 45% by 2030 from 2010 levels.
Today’s interim report from the UNFCCC is a red alert for our planet. It shows
governments are nowhere close to the level of ambition needed to limit climate
change to 1.5 degrees and meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. The major
emitters must step up with much more ambitious emissions reductions
targets for 2030 in their Nationally Determined Contributions well before the
November UN Climate Conference in Glasgow,” said UN Secretary-General António
Guterres.
“Now is the time. The global coalition committed to net-zero
emissions by 2050 is growing, across governments, businesses, investors,
cities, regions and civil society. COVID-19 recovery plans offer the
opportunity to build back greener and cleaner. Decision makers must walk the
talk. Long-term commitments must be matched by immediate actions to launch the
decade of transformation that people and planet so desperately need,“ he added.
The report shows that while the majority of nations represented
increased their individual levels of ambition to reduce emissions, their
combined impact puts them on a path to achieve a less than 1 per cent reduction
by 2030 compared to 2010 levels. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change,
by contrast, has indicated that emission reduction ranges to meet the 1.5°C
temperature goal should be around 45 per cent lower.
“This report shows that current levels of climate ambition are
very far from putting us on a pathway that will meet our Paris Agreement
goals,” said Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change.
“While we acknowledge the recent political shift in momentum towards stronger
climate action throughout the world, decisions to accelerate and broaden
climate action everywhere must be taken now. This underlines why COP 26 must be
the moment when we get on track towards a green, clean, healthy and prosperous
world.”
Espinosa clarified that the Synthesis Report is a “snapshot, not
a full picture” of the NDCs as COVID-19 posed significant challenges for many
nations with respect to completing their submissions in 2020. She indicated
that a second report will be released prior to COP26 and called on all
countries — specifically major emitters that have not yet done so — to make
their submissions as soon as possible, so that their information can be
included in the updated report.