The COP26 is about to come to an end and the analyses have revealed that the commitments made in this summit have colossally failed to achieve the target of keeping global warming under 1.5°C. Apparently, the world is heading for a 2.4°C temperature rise by the end of this century after the new climate pledges made by countries in COP26 summit to combat climate change, which is far above the safe levels.
The world has been neglecting the warnings from climate scientists that carbon emissions must be halted sooner than we are proposing. It has been established that greenhouse gas emissions have prolonged effects and can remain in the atmosphere for long after the releases are stopped.
The research coalition Climate Action Tracker (CAT) said the promises by countries attending the climate conference to reduce emissions by 2030 would still warm up the planet, far beyond the United Nations target, by 2100. These analyses paint a grim picture for the planet and all of its inhabitants.
Referring to the ambitious goal for warming since pre-industrial levels put down in the Paris Agreement, the report noted that even with new targets set in Glasgow for 2030, the planet will emit about twice as much in 2030 as required for 1.5°C.
Image: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian
According to Bill Hare, CEO of Climate Analytics, one of the organizations behind the CAT;
It’s all very well for leaders to claim they have a net-zero target, but if they have no plans as to how to get there, and their 2030 targets are as low as so many of them are, then frankly, these ‘net-zero’ targets are just lip service to real climate action.
Without these pledges, the world could heat up by 2.7°C in this century with a “business as usual” attitude. Scientists have said that greenhouse gas emissions – particularly carbon dioxide emitted from fossil fuel consumption – must decline 45 percent by 2030 from 2010 levels and reach net-zero by 2050. The research coalition has recommended the global leaders reconsider their targets as with the current goals, the planet is still going to bear the brunt of the devastating effects of climate change.
In an optimistic scenario, the warming could be limited to 1.8°C this century if some nations achieve their set targets for reduced and net-zero emissions by 2050. The research also warns against assuming that the world would achieve this scenario as most countries have failed to implement the short-term policies or legislation let alone work on ambitious targets.
However, all scenarios will move past the 1.5°C level, which scientists have said is a must to avert the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. Greenpeace called this analysis “devastating” and urged the countries to agree to update their set targets every year to edge the world toward the earlier goal of 1.5°C.
Via: Reuters