Climate change pledges are not enough to limit warming

UN Report says climate change pledges are not enough to limit warming

A United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) assessment released in London overnight (news eds: released local time NZ 00:01 24 November) exposes the emissions reductions promised by world governments in the Copenhagen Accord are well below what is needed to reach their stated goal of limiting global warming to "safe levels" of 2°C.

The UNEP Emissions Gap Report issued in the run-up to the UN climate talks in Cancun, Mexico (29 November - 10 December) is yet another warning the world needs to do more, WWF said last night.

The UNEP report shows that even a scenario where countries implement their top-end emissions reduction pledges and close potential loopholes falls short of what is needed by 5 gigatonnes (Gt) carbon dioxide equivalent. According to the report, 5Gt is 'a gap equal to the total emissions of the world's cars, buses and trucks in 2005'.

If countries implement the low end of their pledges and include loopholes that reduce the effectiveness of the action taken, the gap would be as large as 9Gt. This latest report from the UN has similar findings to a WWF "gigatonne gap" analysis published in October this year, estimating a gap of around 10Gt.

"This authoritative study is a timely reminder that the emissions reduction pledges on the table at the moment are just not good enough. Much deeper cuts are needed to secure a safe climate future," said Lee Barry, Climate Change Campaigner at WWF-New Zealand

The New Zealand government has promised to reduce emissions by between 10 and 20% below 1990 levels by 2020 although has also made it clear that making any reductions in emissions at all will depend on certain conditions being met, including being allowed to meet all of its target through buying credits from other countries.

"In just a few days time in Cancun our Ministers Tim Groser and Nick Smith, along with delegates from other governments, will have a chance to fully recognize the scale of this gap, and kick off a process that can start to close it. It's a no-brainer - if governments, including New Zealand's, are to meet their objective of limiting global warming, they have to take their top-end pledges as starting point and negotiate upwards," said Barry.

WWF calls on all governments to show ambition and a willingness to compromise at the UN talks, which begin on November 29. The agenda will also cover finance to support developing countries reduce their emissions and adapt to climate change which was promised in Copenhagen to reach US$100billion a year by 2020 but is currently struggling to show progress.

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