Greenhouse Gas Emissions reach a new high: Rise of 3° Celsius

Dhriti Bhadra

A recent report published by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) indicated that the average world temperature has increased by 3 degrees Celsius. The world is heading towards extreme climate change. This year has seen weather extremes, the rapid loss of ice in the Arctic as well as record heat waves and wildfires in Siberia and Australia. UNEP‘s Executive Director, Inger Anderson, has commented that 2020 will be the warmest year on record due to the havoc caused by droughts, wildfires and storms. Under the Paris Climate Agreement, nations have committed to limit the average temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and try to limit it even further by 1.5 degrees Celsius. Unfortunately, emissions have been increasing by an average of 1.4% per year and last year witnessed an increase of 2.6% due to forest fires. 2020 has seen a temporary emissions dip due to economic slowdown induced by the pandemic. However, this dip only translates to 0.01 degrees Celsius reduction in global warming by 2050 which is a tiny fraction. An increase of 3 degrees Celsius will bring in catastrophic consequences and UN experts are advocating for a ‘green recovery’ for countries facing an economic slump due to the pandemic. Green recovery encourages nature-based solutions such as reducing fossil fuel subsidies and stopping new coal plants. It is predicted that such measures can cut 25% of emissions by 2030 and gives the planet a 66% chance of keeping warming within the 2 degrees Celsius mark set by the Paris Climate Agreement. Hence, all nations are under pressure to come forward with tougher climate targets by the end of the year.

[Dhriti Bhadra is a first-year law student at National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata.]