The world must drastically and urgently increase its ambition to cut approximately another quarter of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions forecast for 2030 to have a chance of minimizing climate change, warns the document “The Emissions Gap Report 2016” of the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, launched on November 3rd, in London.

The report reveals that 2030 emissions are expected to reach between 54 and 56 gigatons of carbon dioxide, well above the level needed – 42 gigatons – for the planet to have a chance of limiting warming to 2^OC in this century. We can say that if the current rate of global GHG emissions continued, there would be an excess of between 12 and 14 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent in the atmosphere in 2030. One gigaton of CO₂ equivalent is what all transport in the European Union, including air, issues for a year, points out UNEP.

The executive director of UNEP highlights the benefits of acting as soon as possible. “If we don’t start taking additional action now, starting with the next climate meeting in Marrakesh, we will mourn a preventable human tragedy. The growing number of climate refugees stricken by hunger, poverty, disease and conflict will be a constant reminder of our failure to deliver. Science shows we need to move much faster.”

Technologies and energy efficiency can help

The UNEP report also presents an assessment of technologies and opportunities to find the additional cuts needed, in particular through non-governmental actors, accelerating energy efficiency and interacting with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The document points out that investments in energy efficiency increased by 6%, reaching US$ 221 billion in 2015.