The climate emergency is a direct consequence of carbon-heavy land-use and agriculture, transport, buildings and industrial processes and polluting energy sources. Without profound changes to these sectors and a drastic cut to carbon footprints, there is little hope of protecting the planet from the devastating effects of a warmer world.
Below are climate-related news and events from the United Nations and partners.
UNEP’s Emissions Gap Report, released yesterday, shows the world is off-track to reduce emissions in line with the Paris Agreement. The report finds that the world is heading for a 2.5°C to 2.9°C temperature rise above pre-industrial levels this century, which would result in catastrophic effects around the world.
The annual Emissions Gap Report charts the difference between national pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the reductions required to keep the global temperature rise well below 2°C by the end of this century, in line with the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement.
September was the hottest recorded month ever, with global average temperatures 1.8°C above pre-industrial levels, and extreme weather events caused by climate change have become more frequent in recent years.
The report – first published in 2010 – also features solutions for bridging this emissions gap. It has gained a reputation as an authoritative source of timely, policy-relevant information that has informed the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The 23rd annual meeting of the Regional Seas Programme is beginning today in Barbados. The meeting, organised by UNEP, is a coordination mechanism of the eighteen regional seas conventions and action plans.
Established in 1974, the Regional Seas Programme brings together governments, the private sector and civil society in a bid to protect the marine and coastal environment.
This week provides a platform for adoption of global strategies for cooperation, channelling UNEP support to the Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans and will attempt to reach agreement on important marine and coastal environment-related issues.
How countries – particularly developing countries – adapt to the climate crisis will be a key issue during COP28.
Last week UNEP launched a new policy brief on adaptation, providing a snapshot summary of lessons learned from various UNEP adaptation projects.
National Adaptation Planning: Emerging Lessons Learned from UNEP Projects focuses particularly on six countries that have progressed the furthest in their National Adaptation Plans – Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Iraq, Nepal, São Tomé and Principe, and Zimbabwe.
Learn more about National Adaptation Plans and why they're so important here.
Sunday, December 10 is Food Systems Day at COP28, with a focus on how the production, consumption, and disposal of food has a huge effect on the climate and the environment.
UNEP will publish its Food Waste Index Report on that day, which will highlight the sheer volume of food being wasted around the world.
The 2021 report estimated that 8-10 per cent of global emissions are associated with food that is not consumed.
So, how much do you know about the global food system? Why not take this quiz and find out.
Friday sees a number of UNEP events on the final day of Asia-Pacific Climate Week.
At 9am local time, this event aims to enhance the understanding of the needs of youth and older people in urban areas when it comes to climate adaptation. Participants will also discuss barriers in bringing generations together and highlight solutions in building inclusive urban resilience.
At 9am, this event aims to shape region-wide priorities essential for accelerating transformative adaptation, while making progress in addressing both adaptation and loss and damage within the context of the Global Stocktake and the Global Goal on Adaptation.
Energy efficiency is a vital part of tackling the climate crisis, and this event, at 9am, will explore energy efficiency in Asia and the Pacific. It will also examine the role of governments, industry, consumers and finance, while topics, such as energy pricing, system integration, affordability and technology innovation will be covered.
At 10.30am-11.30am, Just Transition towards regional net-zero climate-resilient development will examine how climate resilient development can be fair and equitable to all.
The Emissions Gap Report will be launched on Monday November 20, providing a detailed look at the difference between national pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the reductions required to keep the global temperature rise in line with Paris Agreement goals.
In addition to providing an update on where global greenhouse gas emissions are heading and where they should be, the report will focus on energy transitions in low- and middle-income countries and looks at the role of carbon dioxide removal in bridging the emissions gap.
It is the one of three climate-related 'Gap' reports released in the run-up to COP28.
So, why are these reports so important? Read this to find out.
Taking place at 9am local time, this Asia-Pacific Climate Week side event brings together experts, practitioners and locally-led adaptation (LLA) implementers to elaborate on the scale of the needs, opportunities and barriers faced when accessing adaptation finance.
This session will explore how local communities can attract adaptation finance, while understanding that there is no one-size-fits all approach to climate adaptation.
Register for the event here.
A report released yesterday by UN Climate Change revealed the world is off-track to tackle the climate crisis.
The NDC Synthesis Report – NDCs or Nationally Determined Climate Plans are each country’s plan to reduce emissions – showed that there is a large gap between what countries are doing and what needs to happen to avert the worst impacts of the climate crisis.
UN Climate Change analyzed the NDCs of 195 Parties to the Paris Agreement, including 20 new or updated NDCs submitted up until 25 September 2023.
Under current national plans, global greenhouse gas emissions are set to increase 9 per cent by 2030, compared to 2010 levels.
Yet the science is clear: emissions must fall by 45 per cent by the end of this decade compared to 2010 levels to meet the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees.
United Nations Executive Secretary, António Guterres was unequivocal in what needs to happen. “Governments must come together to line up the necessary finance, support and partnerships to increase ambition in their national climate plans and swiftly put those plans into action. And developed countries must rebuild trust by delivering on their finance commitments,” he said. “COP28 must be the place to urgently close the climate ambition gap.”
Where: Room Tanjung Puteri 303, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
Peatlands are critical ecosystems for carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and climate change mitigation. However, their conservation and restoration often require innovative approaches and collaborative efforts including peatland conservation and restoration financing from the private sector to enable climate action at scale.
Exploring innovative financing models is vital, benefiting both the environment and livelihoods of communities residing in and around peatland areas.
This event is part of Asia-Pacific Climate Week.
The Global Stocktake is a report card on how the global community is doing on the goals set in Paris in 2015.
The Paris Agreement set ambitious climate targets that aimed to:
• substantially reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to limit the global temperature increase in this century to 2 degrees Celsius while pursuing efforts to limit the increase even further to 1.5 degrees;
• review countries’ commitments every five years;
• provide financing to developing countries to mitigate climate change, strengthen resilience and enhance abilities to adapt to climate impacts.
The first Global Stocktake will conclude at COP28, where countries decide how they respond to the findings. Initial findings, reviewed in October, show the world is significantly behind in reaching the goals set in Paris – particularly limiting global warming – and urgent action is needed to course correct.
This was reflected in the State of Climate Action 2023 report, released earlier today, which revealed that the world is behind in almost every policy designed to avoid the worst effects of the climate crisis.
Read more about climate action here.
