<p>The UNEP’s (United Nations Environment Programme) Emissions Gap report, released last week, is yet another reminder on the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at a greater pace than till now to reduce the impact of climate change. </p><p>The report says nations should reduce the emissions by 42 per cent by 2030 and 57 per cent by 2035. It warns that unless they commit themselves to making these changes in the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and implement the commitments, the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping the temperature rise within 1.5 degrees Celsius will be breached in quick time. </p><p>It has also said that failure to realise the new commitments would lead to a temperature rise of 2.6-3.1 degrees over the course of this century. Implementation of current level NDCs would lead to a temperature rise of 2.8 degrees. These are distressing scenarios in which it may be impossible to sustain life.</p>.<p>The observations in the report are important in view of the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 29) to be held next month in Baku, Azerbaijan. The COP is the main decision-making body of the UN Climate Change Convention and matters like changes in NDCs are discussed and decided at the COP high table. </p><p>Climate discussions and negotiations take much time, and it will be too optimistic to imagine that ideas like those proposed in the report will be accepted and acted upon at the Azerbaijan meet. While decisions are difficult, their implementation is still more difficult. </p><p>NDCs are actions and policies that countries promise to adopt to achieve the Paris Conference goals. Countries have even updated their commitments but have been found wanting in action. No major country has yet fulfilled its commitments. </p><p>Developed countries have a greater responsibility to support mitigation and adaptation strategies because they have contributed more to climate change than others. But they have not kept their commitments on financial support and technology transfers to developing countries which will enable the latter to counter the climate change threat with better policies and actions.</p>.<p>UN Secretary-General António Guterres has said that the emissions gap mentioned in the report is not “an abstract notion’” and “there is a direct link between increasing emissions and increasingly frequent and intense climate disasters.” He also said: “Closing the emissions gap means closing the ambition gap, the implementation gap, and the finance gap. Starting at COP29.” Executive Director of UNEP Inger Andersen said that in other words: “I urge every nation: no more hot air, please. Use the talks in Baku, Azerbaijan, to increase action now, set the stage for stronger NDCs.” The question is whether or not the world will listen to the warnings and the calls.</p>
<p>The UNEP’s (United Nations Environment Programme) Emissions Gap report, released last week, is yet another reminder on the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at a greater pace than till now to reduce the impact of climate change. </p><p>The report says nations should reduce the emissions by 42 per cent by 2030 and 57 per cent by 2035. It warns that unless they commit themselves to making these changes in the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and implement the commitments, the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping the temperature rise within 1.5 degrees Celsius will be breached in quick time. </p><p>It has also said that failure to realise the new commitments would lead to a temperature rise of 2.6-3.1 degrees over the course of this century. Implementation of current level NDCs would lead to a temperature rise of 2.8 degrees. These are distressing scenarios in which it may be impossible to sustain life.</p>.<p>The observations in the report are important in view of the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 29) to be held next month in Baku, Azerbaijan. The COP is the main decision-making body of the UN Climate Change Convention and matters like changes in NDCs are discussed and decided at the COP high table. </p><p>Climate discussions and negotiations take much time, and it will be too optimistic to imagine that ideas like those proposed in the report will be accepted and acted upon at the Azerbaijan meet. While decisions are difficult, their implementation is still more difficult. </p><p>NDCs are actions and policies that countries promise to adopt to achieve the Paris Conference goals. Countries have even updated their commitments but have been found wanting in action. No major country has yet fulfilled its commitments. </p><p>Developed countries have a greater responsibility to support mitigation and adaptation strategies because they have contributed more to climate change than others. But they have not kept their commitments on financial support and technology transfers to developing countries which will enable the latter to counter the climate change threat with better policies and actions.</p>.<p>UN Secretary-General António Guterres has said that the emissions gap mentioned in the report is not “an abstract notion’” and “there is a direct link between increasing emissions and increasingly frequent and intense climate disasters.” He also said: “Closing the emissions gap means closing the ambition gap, the implementation gap, and the finance gap. Starting at COP29.” Executive Director of UNEP Inger Andersen said that in other words: “I urge every nation: no more hot air, please. Use the talks in Baku, Azerbaijan, to increase action now, set the stage for stronger NDCs.” The question is whether or not the world will listen to the warnings and the calls.</p>
