Tribune. In this pivotal year for humanity, the time has come for courageous climate action. The facts, on the scientific level, are clear and are the subject of a consensus on a global scale: so that the climate crisis does not turn into a permanent disaster, we must limit global warming to 1, 5 degree Celsius.
To do this, we must, by mid-century, reduce net greenhouse gas emissions to zero. A large number of countries, corresponding to about two-thirds of the world economy, have already committed to doing so. It’s encouraging, but there is an urgent need for every country, city, business and financial institution to join this coalition and adopt concrete plans to achieve net zero emissions.
Maximum alarm signal
It is even more urgent that governments match this long-term ambition with concrete actions now, as billions of dollars are mobilized to defeat the Covid-19 pandemic. The revival of the economy is the occasion or never to rethink our future.
To do this, the world has adopted a solid framework for action: the Paris Agreement, in which all countries have committed to establishing their own national climate action plans and to strengthening them all five years. Over five years later, armed with the overwhelming evidence that if we do not act we will destroy our planet, we know it is time to take decisive and effective action, as the UN calls on all country in Glasgow (Scotland) in November 2021 for COP26.
By 2030, new national action plans are expected to reduce global greenhouse gas pollution by at least 45%, compared to 2010 levels. Many of these plans have already been presented, which set out clearer policies for adapting to the effects of climate change and accelerating access to renewable energies.
But so far they have only reduced emissions by less than 1%. This is, truly, a maximum alarm signal for the planet and for its inhabitants.
Remove charcoal
In the coming months, starting with the next leaders’ summit organized by the United States, governments must revise their ambitions very clearly upwards, in particular the countries with the highest emissions, which are at the origin of a big part of this crisis.
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