COP28's challenge: UN report highlights insufficient progress, emphasizes urgent need for climate action

COP28 Green Zone in Expo City Dubai, UAE (Image courtesy: @COP28_UAE/X)

Just ahead of the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) in Dubai, a groundbreaking report from the UN Climate Change emphasises the critical time the world faces in its fight against climate change. COP28 is highlighted as a pivotal moment where global leaders must take bold and immediate action to address the pressing climate crisis.

Inadequacy of current action plans

The UN report underscores the inadequacy of current action plans by countries to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, as outlined in the Paris Agreement. Despite increased efforts by some nations, the report underscores the need for urgent action during COP28 to avert the severe impacts of climate change.

Paris Agreement goals falling short

The Paris Agreement aims to keep the global temperature increase well below 2 degrees Celsius and pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5 degrees Celsius. However, the report reveals that countries, despite their efforts, fall short of meeting these ambitious goals.

COP28 - A turning point 

Simon Stiell, the Executive-Secretary of UN Climate Change, underscores the significance of COP28 as a turning point. Stiell emphasizes that governments must not only agree on stronger climate actions but also demonstrate exactly how to deliver them. The urgency to address the climate crisis cannot be understated, and COP28 is identified as the moment for bold strides forward.

“... report shows that governments combined are taking baby steps to avert the climate crisis. And it shows why governments must make bold strides forward at COP28 in Dubai, to get on track,” said Simon Stiell. “This means COP28 must be a clear turning point. Governments must not only agree what stronger climate actions will be taken but also start showing exactly how to deliver them.”

Importance of Global Stocktake

The UN Climate Change report underscores the importance of the first global stocktake at COP28 as an opportunity for nations to regain momentum in scaling up their climate efforts across all sectors. The stocktake is intended to inform the next round of NDCs, to be submitted by 2025, setting the stage for accelerated action.

(The global stocktake is a critical turning point when it comes to efforts to address climate change. It is designed to ‘take stock’ of the implementation of the Paris Agreement and assess progress towards achieving the pact’s goal to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.)

Scientific urgency and increasing climate events

The report cites the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, warning that greenhouse gas emissions must be cut by 43% by 2030 to limit the temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The urgency is further emphasized by the increasing frequency and severity of droughts, heatwaves, and rainfall worldwide.

Benefits of bolder climate action

Stiell highlights the immediate benefits of bolder climate action, including more jobs, higher wages, economic growth, opportunity, stability, less pollution, and improved health. The need to change the current trajectory is urgent, and COP28 is identified as the opportune moment to steer towards a more sustainable future.

“Every fraction of a degree matters, but we are severely off track. COP28 is our time to change that,” Stiell said. “It’s time to show the massive benefits now of bolder climate action: more jobs, higher wages, economic growth, opportunity and stability, less pollution and better health.”

Analysis of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)

The report analyzes NDCs from 195 Parties to the Paris Agreement, revealing that while emissions are no longer projected to increase after 2030 compared to 2019 levels, they are not on the rapid downward trajectory required by scientific recommendations for this decade.

COP28: Global call for action

As the world awaits COP28, the call for international unity, reassessment of commitments, and decisive steps towards a sustainable future is resounding. The goals are ambitious, but the stakes are higher than ever, emphasizing that climate action cannot wait.