A dark first assessment of the implementation of the Paris Agreement

The world must move away from polluting fossil fuels, reach the peak of its CO2 emissions by 2025 and do so much more to confront the climate crisis, according to an ONU Climate report, which will be at the heart of the Dubai COP28 that will soon be held in the United Arab Emirates. This highly anticipated report analyzes all the efforts made since 2015 to respect the Paris Agreement and its ambitious objective of limiting the warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, we have just recorded the hottest summer ever experienced in the world with multiple heatwaves, floods, fires and all other extreme weather events, indicative of climate change. The report, therefore, concludes that the world is not on the right path to achieve the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement and although action continues, there is still much to be done on all fronts.

This analysis also reiterates the importance of developing renewable energies and moving away from all fossil fuels without CO2 capture, to enable an energy transition towards carbon neutrality planned for 2050, but it also reminds us that time is running out. Currently, there is still a window to raise ambitions and implement planned commitments to limit the warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius but, according to experts, the opportunity window is closing rapidly. The ONU Climate chief confirms that the fundamental principles of the Paris Agreement are not yet respected by all of the 197 parties, but he maintains that the burden of response falls on 20 countries, first and foremost.

The success of the COP28 will therefore depend on how the world reacts to the results of this global assessment. It is likely that the moment of truth will come at the beginning of 2025, when countries will have to put new climate objectives on the table, as it is already planned by the Paris Agreement.

Source: Le Devoir

Photo: Thomas Padilla Associated Press