Seven-in-10 of the world’s largest economies missed the deadline to submit new greenhouse gas-cutting plans to the United Nations, and only one country has a plan that keeps pace with the Paris Agreement.
On Monday 10th February countries across the globe were expected to file updated proposals on how to steer the world towards a future in which global warming is limited to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.
These revised nationally determined contributions [NDCs], stipulated in the Paris Agreement itself, were supposed to take into account the current emissions landscape, new technologies and up-to-date modelling on the planet’s current trajectory, almost a decade after the benchmark-setting accord was signed.
170 nations failed to file their updated NDCs on time, which has sparked fears that leaders are beginning to abandon hope of 1.5C maximum global warming. Sadly, this was one of several predictions Environment Journal made in feature on what we should expect from the climate space in 2025. The lack of urgency is despite the fact almost every state in the world signed up to the agreement, and its deadlines.
The news is particularly worrying given January’s inauguration of US President Donald Trump, who quickly began taking steps to pull the United States out of several major international treaties. This includes the World Health Organisation and the Paris Agreement on climate change. Russia, New Zealand, and Argentina have already suggested they intend to follow this model. Washington’s administration is also looking to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court, which he believes unfairly targets the US and Israel.
However, the UK has again emerged as a somewhat unlikely frontrunner when it comes to climate responsibilities. Despite recently giving support to a third runway at Heathrow Airport – which would effectively cancel out all gains made by switching the National Grid to run on renewable energy, Downing Street did manage to file its NDC on time and this includes a pledge to cut carbon emissions by 81% by 2035 relative to 1990 levels. This makes Great Britain the only country to have a plan that even comes close to what the Paris Agreement requires in order to meet targets. Nevertheless, it remains unclear as to whether the investment, innovation and infrastructure are in place to realise this aim.
More on climate change:
Image: Samuel Pollard via Unsplash