Global leaders assembled at COP28 to discuss the rising greenhouse gas emissions and the urgent need to achieve an emissions peak. Despite efforts to reduce emissions and mitigate climate change, the latest data from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) shows that greenhouse gas emissions are still on the rise. The latest report from the UNEP indicates that emissions reached a record high of 57.4 Gigatonnes of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (GtCO2e) in 2022, with emissions rising by 1.2% from 2021 to 2022.
The urgency of the situation is emphasized by the fact that emissions need to peak before 2025 in order to meet the targets of the Paris Agreement. Experts assert that drastic cuts need to take place in order to limit the warming of the planet. The UN’s Emissions Gap 2023 Report states that projected emissions need to fall by a further 28% by 2030 to stay within the 2°C pathway of the Paris Agreement, and by a massive 42% to meet the 1.5°C pathway target.
The Climate Now Debate, a live broadcast from COP28, focused on the reasons behind the continued rise in emissions and the implications for the environment. The panel of experts and policymakers discussed the impact of the Global Stocktake, a mechanism that will evaluate global efforts to meet the targets of the Paris Agreement. Other efforts, such as the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and Methane Strategy, as well as the Solar Impulse Foundation’s 1,000 solutions, are also part of the ongoing efforts to address climate change.
Despite these efforts, the question remains – are emissions peaking in sight? The urgency of the situation demands action and collaboration on a global scale, and the debate at COP28 shed light on the challenges and opportunities ahead in the fight against climate change. With so much at stake, the need for immediate and decisive action to curb emissions has never been more pressing.
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