Paris Agreement Climate Goals ‘In Great Peril’, Warns UN

AFP/APP

Baku: The United Nations has issued a dire warning regarding the Paris climate agreement’s goals, stating that they are “in great peril” as 2024 is on track to break new temperature records.

The UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported that the period from 2015 to 2024 will be the warmest decade ever recorded.

WMO chief Celeste Saulo sounded the “red alert” in Baku as the COP29 climate talks opened, stressing that the acceleration of global warming is driving glacier shrinkage, rising sea levels, and extreme weather events that are wreaking havoc globally.

Under the Paris Agreement, nations pledged to limit global temperature rise to “well below” 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with an aim of keeping it under 1.5°C. However, recent data indicates that 2024 will likely exceed the 1.5°C limit, highlighting the growing challenges in meeting these climate goals.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that climate catastrophe is exacerbating health issues, widening inequalities, and undermining sustainable development and peace, with the vulnerable being the hardest hit.

The WMO’s analysis suggests that the long-term global warming trend is on track for a rise of around 1.3°C compared to pre-industrial levels.

Saulo urged immediate action, emphasizing that “every fraction of a degree of warming matters,” as it increases climate extremes and risks. The WMO also highlighted that greenhouse gas concentrations continue to climb, exacerbating the situation.

The report further noted that ocean heat levels are expected to match record highs seen last year, and extreme weather events  including record-breaking rainfall and flooding  are becoming the “new reality” of the climate crisis.