The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) published its annual report on November 26, 2019, detailing a bleak future outlook for the global climate. The UN’s uncharacteristically blunt language and startling statistics indicate the urgency required to address climate change. Incremental changes will be insufficient; instead, there is a need for rapid and transformative action to fulfill the targets set by the international community in slowing global warming, primarily by slashing greenhouse emissions.
The report states that nations must halve their 2018 pollution levels by 2030 to meet the Paris Agreement goals of limiting heating to 1.5 degrees celsius. Global emissions have risen about 1.5% a year in the last decade, and continue to rise at an alarming rate. Amidst the grim outlook, the UN outlines the hope that comes as political and civic attention to climate change is increasing, largely led by a global youth movement and private sector investment. However, policy led-change is imperative to delivering on the challenging targets set under the Paris Agreement.
