UNEP Report Warns of Insufficient Climate Pledges, Calls for Urgent Action

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has released its annual Emissions Gap Report, revealing that current national climate pledges are insufficient to meet the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. The report projects a temperature increase of 2.3–2.5°C by the end of the century, underscoring the urgent need for more ambitious climate action.

The Emissions Gap Report 2025 indicates that, even with full implementation of existing Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the world is on a trajectory to exceed the 1.5°C threshold within the next decade. To align with the 1.5°C target, global greenhouse gas emissions must decrease by 55% by 2035 compared to 2019 levels. However, current pledges suggest only a 15% reduction, leaving a significant gap that necessitates immediate and enhanced efforts to mitigate severe environmental and socio-economic consequences.

Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP, emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, "Each time, countries have collectively landed off target; each time, they have left the world on course for an intensification of the climate crisis." (unep.org)

The report also highlights that global emissions rose by 2.3% in 2024, reaching 57.7 gigatonnes of CO₂ equivalent. This increase underscores the urgency for enhanced mitigation efforts to prevent severe climate-related risks, including extreme heat events, loss of sea ice, degradation of coral reefs, and thawing of permafrost. These impacts disproportionately affect vulnerable nations and communities, exacerbating existing socio-economic inequalities and threatening food security, water resources, and public health.

The findings come amid a challenging geopolitical environment, with some nations scaling back climate policies. For instance, the United States' withdrawal from the Paris Agreement under the Trump administration has negated a portion of global progress, adding approximately 0.1°C to projected warming. (apnews.com)

Economically, the transition to renewable energy sources is gaining momentum. In the first half of 2025, renewable energy sources surpassed coal as the world's largest source of electricity, indicating a shift that, with the right policies, could become the new norm. (unep.org)

Since the adoption of the Paris Agreement, temperature projections have decreased from 3–3.5°C to the current 2.3–2.5°C. While this indicates some progress, the reductions are insufficient to meet the agreed-upon targets, highlighting the need for accelerated and more ambitious climate action.

As the upcoming COP30 climate summit approaches, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has declared it a "COP of Truth," calling for meaningful action and accountability. He proposed the creation of a new UN-linked environmental council to monitor countries' compliance with climate agreements. (reuters.com)

The UNEP's Emissions Gap Report 2025 underscores the critical need for nations to enhance their climate pledges and actions to avert the severe consequences of surpassing the 1.5°C global warming limit. The report serves as a clarion call for immediate, collective, and more ambitious efforts to mitigate climate change and protect vulnerable communities worldwide.