The UN has called for massive efforts to cut the emissions that drive climate change after a warning that the world is on track for a “catastrophic” 3.1°C of global warming by the end of this century.
Its annual report highlights the gap between cuts to emissions needed to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and what countries are doing and have pledged to do, with the UN Environment Programme (Unep) saying the goal would “soon be dead” without a global mobilisation on a scale and at a pace not seen before.
Depending on the progress made in current climate action pledges, the UN warned the world was currently on track for temperature rises of between 2.6°C and 3.1°C before the next century.
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The warning comes ahead of next month’s UN Cop29 talks in Baku, the capital of fossil fuel-rich Azerbaijan, where nations are facing calls to agree on bolder action to scale up finance for developing countries to tackle climate change, and to close the emissions gap.
At the Paris climate talks in 2015, countries agreed to limit temperature rises to “well below” 2°C and pursue efforts to curb them to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
Scientists have warned there is no safe amount of climate change but 1.5°C has come to be seen as a threshold beyond which the worst effects of heatwaves, drought, flooding, the collapse of natural systems and rising sea levels will be felt.
Nations have set out country-level action plans, known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs), for meeting the Paris target, through cutting emissions from activities such as burning fossil fuels and creating or restoring habitats such as forests to capture carbon, up to 2030.
But as countries prepare to submit the next set of plans for action up to 2035 in the next few months, Unep is warning the goal of preventing dangerous warming is slipping out of reach.
The report said global greenhouse gases are still rising and were up 1.3 per cent in 2023 on the previous year's levels – a faster increase than the average of the past decade – with the G20 group of leading economies accounting for more than three quarters (77 per cent) of emissions.
Under current policies the world is facing long-term global warming of 3.1°C and even if countries deliver on their climate plans up to 2030, it will lead to temperature rises of 2.6°C to 2.8°C, it added. But countries are off-track even for those plans.
Responding to the report, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the world was “teetering on a planetary tightrope”.
“Either leaders bridge the emissions gap, or we plunge headlong into climate disaster – with the poorest and most vulnerable suffering the most,” he said.
He said people were already suffering from monster hurricanes, biblical floods and record heat, which was turning forests into tinder boxes and cities into saunas, and warned “current policies are taking us towards a catastrophic 3.1°C temperature rise by the end of the century”.
He said governments must drive down all greenhouse gas emissions – weaning the world off fossil fuels, accelerating the introduction of renewables, and halting and reversing deforestation – and agree to a new finance goal at Cop29 to unlock the huge sums of money developing countries need to tackle climate change.
Inger Andersen, executive director of Unep, said: “Climate crunch time is here. We need global mobilisation on a scale and pace never seen before – starting right now, before the next round of climate pledges – or the 1.5°C goal will soon be dead and well below 2°C will take its place in the intensive care unit."
She urged nations meeting for Cop29 to increase action now, set the stage for stronger national plans, then “go all-out to get on a 1.5°C pathway”.
“Even if the world overshoots 1.5°C – and the chances of this happening are increasing every day – we must keep striving for a net-zero, sustainable and prosperous world," she added. “Every fraction of a degree avoided counts in terms of lives saved, economies protected, damages avoided, biodiversity conserved and the ability to rapidly bring down any temperature overshoot.”
Nations must collectively commit to cut 42 per cent of annual greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and 57 per cent by 2035 in the next round of NDCs to achieve the 1.5°C goal, Unep warned.
It is technically feasible to deliver such a cut, by tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030, stepping up energy efficiency improvements, shifting away from fossil fuel use, and protecting and restoring natural habitats such as forests and mangroves.
But there must be a massive globalisation effort to cut the global greenhouse gases driving rising temperatures, starting today and led by the G20, Unep said.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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Men's wheelchair 800m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 1.44.79; 2. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 1.45.88; 3. Isaac Towers (GBR) 1.46.46.
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Healthy tips to remember
Here, Dr Mohamed El Abiary, paediatric consultant at Al Zahra Hospital Dubai, shares some advice for parents whose children are fasting during the holy month of Ramadan:
Gradual fasting and golden points - For children under the age of 10, follow a step-by-step approach to fasting and don't push them beyond their limits. Start with a few hours fasting a day and increase it to a half fast and full fast when the child is ready. Every individual's ability varies as per the age and personal readiness. You could introduce a points system that awards the child and offers them encouragement when they make progress with the amount of hours they fast
Why fast? - Explain to your child why they are fasting. By shedding light on the importance of abstaining from food and drink, children may feel more encouraged to give it there all during the observance period. It is also a good opportunity to teach children about controlling urges, doing good for others and instilling healthy food habits
Sleep and suhoor - A child needs adequate sleep every night - at least eight hours. Make sure to set a routine early bedtime so he/she has sufficient time to wake up for suhoor, which is an essential meal at the beginning of the day
Good diet - Nutritious food is crucial to ensuring a healthy Ramadan for children. They must refrain from eating too much junk food as well as canned goods and snacks and drinks high in sugar. Foods that are rich in nutrients, vitamins and proteins, like fruits, fresh meats and vegetables, make for a good balanced diet
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GAC GS8 Specs
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
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116 pitches
76 nations
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15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
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