Quantcast
ZME Science
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    Menu
    Natural Sciences
    Health
    History & Humanities
    Space & Astronomy
    Technology
    Culture
    Resources
    Natural Sciences

    Physics

    • Matter and Energy
    • Quantum Mechanics
    • Thermodynamics

    Chemistry

    • Periodic Table
    • Applied Chemistry
    • Materials
    • Physical Chemistry

    Biology

    • Anatomy
    • Biochemistry
    • Ecology
    • Genetics
    • Microbiology
    • Plants and Fungi

    Geology and Paleontology

    • Planet Earth
    • Earth Dynamics
    • Rocks and Minerals
    • Volcanoes
    • Dinosaurs
    • Fossils

    Animals

    • Mammals
    • Birds
    • Fish
    • Reptiles
    • Amphibians
    • Invertebrates
    • Pets
    • Conservation
    • Animals Facts

    Climate and Weather

    • Climate Change
    • Weather and Atmosphere

    Geography

    Mathematics

    Health
    • Drugs
    • Diseases and Conditions
    • Human Body
    • Mind and Brain
    • Food and Nutrition
    • Wellness
    History & Humanities
    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Economics
    • History
    • People
    • Sociology
    Space & Astronomy
    • The Solar System
    • The Sun
    • The Moon
    • Planets
    • Asteroids, Meteors and Comets
    • Astronomy
    • Astrophysics
    • Cosmology
    • Exoplanets and Alien Life
    • Spaceflight and Exploration
    Technology
    • Computer Science & IT
    • Engineering
    • Inventions
    • Sustainability
    • Renewable Energy
    • Green Living
    Culture
    • Culture and Society
    • Bizarre Stories
    • Lifestyle
    • Art and Music
    • Gaming
    • Books
    • Movies and Shows
    Resources
    • How To
    • Science Careers
    • Metascience
    • Fringe Science
    • Science Experiments
    • School and Study
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Environment

Why was the UN summit insufficient to address the climate emergency?

Presidents and prime ministers at the United Nations failed to commit to additional goals.

Fermin Koop by Fermin Koop
September 24, 2019
in Climate, Environment, News

Despite the call of Swedish activist Greta Thunberg towards a more ambitious climate action, presidents and prime ministers of the world’s largest emitting economies at the United Nations failed to commit to additional goals to further reduce their greenhouse emissions.

UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The Paris Agreement hopes to limit the temperature increase to 1.5ºC, which means most countries will have to achieve net-zero global emissions by 2050. That’s why UN chief Antonio Guterres had asked leaders to attend the climate summit with plans on how to meet that target.

A coalition of 77 smaller countries said they were committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and 70 countries expressed their intention to set a more ambitious climate plan next year, evidence of “a boost of momentum and ambition,” Guterres said in his closing remarks.

This showed signs of progress but wasn’t considered sufficient, as “most of the major economies fell woefully short” of enhancing their ambition, said Andrew Steer, president and CEO of the World Resources Institute. A stronger action will be needed to reach carbon neutrality.

The key question that remains is how countries will integrate climate action into their policies to reach carbon neutrality. Former French climate ambassador and CEO of the European Climate Foundation Laurence Tubiana said the path to net-zero emissions “is something we are just discovering.”

The United Kingdom and France, which have already legislated to become carbon neutral by 2050, have been warned by their climate advisors that without new and robust carbon-cutting measures, they won’t be on track to meet the 2050 goal. UK prime minister Boris Johnson said they will look to be more ambitious.

China, the world’s largest emitting country, failed to give a significant announcement. Wang Yi, a special representative of Xi, said China would meet its Paris pledge but made no suggestion of when and how Beijing would hike its climate plan and peak its emissions.

Meanwhile, European Union Council president Donald Tusk said it was only a matter of time for the bloc to adopt net zero emissions by 2050 as its target – but gave few details of how the world’s largest economic bloc was going to transfer away from fossil fuels.

The next step towards climate action will be the UN’s Conference of Parties (COP) in Santiago de Chile in December. Nevertheless, time is running out. Global emissions continue to rise year-on-year – increasing the gap between the 1.5°C goal and current pathways to get there and closing the door to incremental emission reductions.

Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Related posts:
  1. United Nations hosts key climate emergency summit in New York
  2. Climate pledges of oil giants are still insufficient and they should step up their game
  3. The planet is on “red alert” because of insufficient climate action, UN warns
  4. The US is back in the climate game: Biden promises 50% emissions reductions by 2030 at Earth Day climate summit
  5. Plastic and climate crisis are linked — we shouldn’t address one and ignore the other
Tags: climate changegreta thunberg

ADVERTISEMENT
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
  • Reviews
  • More
  • About Us

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

Don’t you want to get smarter every day?

YES, sign me up!

Over 35,000 subscribers can’t be wrong. Don’t worry, we never spam. By signing up you agree to our privacy policy.

✕
ZME Science News

FREE
VIEW