UN urges action on net-zero carbon emissions targets

Countries that have pledged to go carbon-neutral by 2050 have failed to explain how they will achieve the goal, a major UN stocktake says.

Countries that have pledged to go carbon-neutral by 2050 have failed to explain how they will achieve the goal, a major UN stocktake on global greenhouse gas emissions says.

The UN Emissions Gap report has found that despite a predicted fall in emissions of 7 per cent in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more action is urgently required.

The dip of 7 per cent this year would translate to only a 0.01C reduction in global warming by 2050. And the Morrison government is under pressure to pledge a carbon-neutral target.

The report states that the growing number of countries committing to net-zero emissions goals is the most significant climate change policy development of 2020. “To remain feasible and credible, these commitments must be urgently translated into strong, near-term policies,” it states.

At the time the report was written, 126 countries covering 51 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions had adopted, announced or were considering net-zero goals. It says if the US adopts a net-zero target by 2050, as suggested in the Biden-Harris climate plan, that share will increase to 63 per cent.

“Although the net-zero emissions goals are encouraging, they highlight a vast discrepancy between the ambition of the goals and the inadequate level of ambition in Paris climate pledges for 2030”, the report states.

“More countries need to develop long-term strategies consistent with the Paris Agreement, and new and updated national determined contributions need to become consistent with the net-zero emissions goals,” it states.