The report of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) published on Wednesday comes to the conclusion that the signatory states of the agreement want to produce more than twice as much coal, gas and oil in this decade as limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees would actually allow.
“The research results are clear: The production of coal, oil and gas must immediately drop sharply in order to limit long-term warming to 1.5 degrees,” said the report’s lead author, Ploy Achakulwisut of the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI).
“Nonetheless, the governments are planning production quantities that are vastly above what we can safely burn.” According to the researcher, the governments want to produce around 240 percent more coal, 57 percent more oil and 71 percent more natural gas by 2030 than would be compatible with the 1.5 degree target.
The 2015 Paris Agreement provides for global warming to be limited to less than two, or even better, 1.5 degrees compared to the pre-industrial age. From the end of October, the governments will be negotiating at the World Climate Conference on how they can actually meet this target. (SDA)