PARIS: Greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere reached new record highs in 2023, the UN warned on Monday, with countries falling “miles short” of what is needed to curb devastating global warming.

Levels of the three main greenhouse gases — heat-trapping carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide — all increased yet again last year, said the World Meteorological Organisation, the United Nation’s weather and climate agency.

Carbon dioxide was accumulating in the atmosphere faster than ever, up more than 10 per cent in two decades, it added. And a separate report by UN climate change found that barely a dent is being made in the 43pc emissions cut needed by 2030 to avert the worst of global warming. Action as it stands would only lead to a 2.6pc reduction this decade from 2019 levels.

“The report’s findings are stark but not surprising — current national climate plans fall miles short of what’s needed to stop global heating from crippling every economy, and wrecking billions of lives and livelihoods across every country,” said UN climate chief Simon Stiell.

The two reports come just weeks before the United Nations COP29 climate summit in Azerbaijan, and as nations prepare to submit updated national climate plans in early 2025. “Bolder” plans to slash the pollution that drives warming will now have to be drawn up, Stiell said, calling for the end of “the era of inadequacy”.

Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, countries agreed to cap global warming at “well below” two degrees Celsius above average levels measured between 1850 and 1900 — and 1.5C if possible. But so far their actions have failed to meet that challenge.

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2024