A new report reveals that global climate efforts still fall short of ensuring a livable Earth, though progress has significantly accelerated since the Paris Agreement. The agreement has led to policies advancing renewable energy and public transit, hastening the move away from fossil fuels.
The 2015 Paris Agreement, aimed at limiting global warming and reducing carbon emissions, has proved crucial for motivating governments and the private sector towards climate neutrality, according to Emilio La Rovere, an energy planning professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and contributor to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports.
Emerging economies, like Brazil, see this as an opportunity to merge sustainable growth with decarbonization, La Rovere stated during the report’s launch. He mentioned political changes as a threat to policy continuity and noted Brazil’s oil discoveries, warning about the temptation to prioritize fossil fuel production for rapid economic gain. Brazil’s recent membership in OPEC+ underscores this concern.
The Deep Decarbonization Pathways Initiative report analyzes 21 countries, including the United States. Since 2013, this international research group—led by the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations and the Sustainable Development Solutions Network—has provided insights into how high-emission countries can feasibly cut emissions by 2050. The Paris Agreement seeks to prevent global warming from surpassing 2 degrees Celsius, ideally keeping it below 1.5 degrees.
The report criticizes the U.S. for inconsistent climate policies over the past decade, hindering rapid energy and economic transitions needed to meet Paris Agreement goals. Alicia Zhao, co-author of the U.S. section and a research manager at the University of Maryland, noted that federal climate rollbacks have created uncertainty about the U.S.’s Paris commitments. However, states, cities, and businesses remain vital in driving climate initiatives, using policy levers for emissions reductions.
According to a February analysis, targeted non-federal actions could potentially mitigate federal rollbacks’ impact, reducing greenhouse gases by 54-62% by 2035.
The Deep Decarbonization Pathways Initiative’s director, Henri Waisman, describes the report as a comprehensive assessment of the Paris Agreement’s impact on national policies a decade later. Despite some progress, global emissions are rising, making it difficult to limit warming. While these findings are widely acknowledged, they don’t address why progress is inconsistent or what lessons could improve efforts.
The Paris Agreement acknowledged the steep learning curve countries would face in decarbonization and incorporated this process to progressively enhance ambition. The real test is how the agreement has influenced national climate actions, said Waisman. He emphasized the importance of a country-focused approach, especially during challenging times for multilateral cooperation.
The 21-country review shows that while many governments have set aspirational goals, they often lack concrete policy actions for implementation. The study highlights the need for short-term emissions cuts via energy demand management and measures for agriculture and forest management. Establishing more institutional forums to resolve stakeholder conflicts could also accelerate climate action.
“To meet the Paris goals, the coming decade must focus on scaling up efforts, tackling social and industrial challenges, and ensuring ambition translates into effective action,” said Waisman.
Original Story at insideclimatenews.org