According to UN, objectives of Paris climate agreement are far from being achieved if all countries continue as y have done so far. Even if all climate protection commitments submitted by countries are complied with, Earth's temperature will increase by at least three degrees compared to pre-industrialisation period, according to UNEP Environment Programme. This warning interim certificate, so-called 8th Emission Gap Report, presented environmental programme in Geneva.
In Paris, states agreed to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees as far as possible, but in any case to a significantly below two degrees. "There is an urgent need to speed up short-term measures and to make long-term objectives more ambitious," says UNEP report.
The objective of a maximum of two degrees of average warming is considered to be outermost limit in order to avert catastrophic climate consequences. According to World Meteorological Organization (WMO) it is already 1.2 degrees warmer now.
Many scientists already warn at plus 1.5 degrees until end of century before for humanity hardly portable consequences: melting of ice caps, rise of sea levels, more wear extremes. That is why world community had agreed in Paris 2015 agreement to stop global warming at 1.5 degrees as much as possible – that is 0.3 degrees higher than at present.
"Coal reserves must remain in ground""The alarming number and intensity of extreme wear conditions 2017, such as Hurricanes, droughts and floods, make it even more urgent to act soon," it says in report. 2016 was hottest year at least since beginning of measurements 1880 and even third consecutive year, which has broken record.
Total greenhouse gas emissions – in addition to carbon dioxide, including methane and nitrous – reached 2014 a value corresponding to climate impact of 52.7 gigatonnes CO2. A gigaton is roughly equivalent to emissions in European Union, which are generated in one year by transport, including aeroplanes.
The global share of CO2 emissions of greenhouse gases estimated at 36.2 gigatonnes in year 2015 meant stabilization for first time. Part of this stabilization comes from expansion of renewable energies, especially in China and India. But this is not a reason to celebrate: if coal-fired power plants were built, emissions could quickly go up again.
"80 to 90 per cent of world's coal reserves must remain in ground if climate targets are to be met," report says. If all 6,683 coal-fired power plants in world were to run until end of ir planned operating time, total amount of CO2 emitted by company was estimated at 190 gigatonnes CO2. If one still counts under construction and planned power plants are added, be it total solely by coal use 340 gigatonnes.
Date Of Update: 01 November 2017, 12:03
