UN report calls for 42% emissions reduction by 2030

The latest UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) Emissions Gap report urges world leaders to support a 42% emissions cut by 2030 to get back to 1.5ºC warming this century.

The report warns that current policies and action have us on track for up to 3.1ºC global warming this century and calls for “dramatically stronger” climate ambition and action as governments prepare their next round of nationally determined contributions (NDCs).

The new national decarbonisation targets, which are required under the Paris Agreement by next year’s COP30, will pave the way for climate action in the next crucial decade.

Fortunately, the organisation believes “it remains technically possible to get on a 1.5°C pathway, with solar, wind and forests holding real promise for sweeping and fast emissions cuts”. 

However, bold action is needed to deliver this potential, from “sufficiently strong NDCs” to a whole-of-government approach, a reform of the global financial architecture and strong private sector action.

Overall, mitigation investment must also increase sixfold to make the 1.5ºC goal a reality – with developed nations urged to do “the heavy lifting”.

On course for ‘debilitating impacts’

UNEP argues that “a failure to increase ambition in these new NDCs and start delivering immediately would put the world on course for a temperature increase of 2.6-3.1°C over the course of this century”. “This would bring debilitating impacts to people, planet and economies,” the organisation adds.

Any warming above 2.6ºC would bring “catastrophic consequences”, according to the report. 

“As greenhouse gas emissions rose to a new high of 57.1 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2023, the cuts required from today are larger; 7.5 per cent must be shaved off emissions every year until 2035 for 1.5°C. Current promises are nowhere near these levels, putting us on track for best-case global warming of 2.6°C this century and necessitating future costly and large-scale removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to bring down the overshoot,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director at UNEP.