- Home
- Collections
- Climate Change
Climate Change
Collection Contents
-
-
United in Science 2023
At the half-time point of the 2030 Agenda, the science is clear – the planet is far off track from meeting its climate goals. This undermines global efforts to tackle hunger, poverty and ill-health, improve access to clean water and energy and many other aspects of sustainable development, according to the new multi-agency United in Science report coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Only 15% of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are on track, according to the report which makes a systematic examination of the impact of climate change and extreme weather on the goals. It illustrates how weather, climate and water-related sciences can advance aims such as food and water security, clean energy, better health, sustainable oceans and resilient cities. The annual report combines input and expertise from 18 organizations. It is issued ahead of the SDG Summit and Climate Ambition Summit at the United Nations General Assembly.
-
-
-
State of the Climate in Africa 2022
Africa is responsible for only a fraction of global greenhouse gas emissions but is suffering disproportionately from climate change. This is harming food security, ecosystems and economies, fueling displacement and migration and worsening the threat of conflict over dwindling resources. The State of the Climate in Africa 2022 report shows that the rate of temperature increase in Africa has accelerated in recent decades, with weather- and climate-related hazards becoming more severe. And yet financing for climate adaptation is only a drop in the ocean of what is needed. More than 110 million people on the continent were directly affected by weather, climate and water-related hazards in 2022, causing more than US$ 8.5 billion in economic damages. There were a reported 5 000 fatalities, of which 48% were associated with drought and 43% were associated with flooding, according to the Emergency Event Database. But the true toll is likely to be much higher because of under-reporting. The report was released during the Africa Climate Summit, which also saw the launch of the Early Warnings For All in Africa Action Plan.
-
-
-
Green Finance and Decarbonization of Petrochemicals
The petrochemical industry is a little studied but crucial sector that needs to rapidly ramp up its climate ambition if it is to align with the SDGs and contribute to the objectives of the Green New Deal. The implications of not doing this are significant, both in terms of the environment (petrochemicals being a major producer of carbon emissions, chemical pollutants and plastic), and in terms of potentially provoking financial and economic instability and “climate Minsky” shock. This paper builds on a previous study by the authors that analysed thousands of financial transactions to identify the respective roles played by public and private banks, bond markets and other sources of capital in this sector. This paper now digs deeper into so-called “green” finance and, in particular the market-based mechanism of green bonds. It draws on empirical evidence from global financial databases and development banks, and from case-study analysis of two development-bank financed green bond issues to the petrochemical sector. Both issuances are in Asia, the world’s manufacturing hub and driving force behind increased petrochemicals production and facilities. Lessons learned here are extremely relevant for the climate change debate, as the region is at the forefront where impact will be greatest in the near-term. This paper finds that “green finance” is at best marginal, so that significant chances are needed in the provision of finance to the petrochemical industry, if it is to influence the region’s green transition and meeting the goals of Agenda 2030. Market mechanisms still offer only the slimmest pickings, making it likely that dedicated public financial institutions such as public banks will be required for any major investment push.
-
-
-
Making Trade Work for Climate Change Mitigation
International trade and climate change law are two distinct realms that inevitably and increasingly interact with each other. Climate change law instruments - in particular, the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement - constitute the legal framework within which States set emissions reduction targets and adopt climate mitigation measures to achieve the global target of limiting the increase in global average temperatures to “well below” 2°C. This legal framework leaves countries free to decide which measures they employ to achieve their targets. However, international trade law - and, in particular, the rules and principles of the WTO - determines when and how States can adopt a measure that potentially impacts international trade, even if such a measure is primarily aimed at tackling climate change. This publication provides an analysis of the most relevant and most used trade related measures in the context of climate change mitigation strategies, assesses the challenge of increasing their compatibility with international trade law, and discusses the effectiveness, feasibility and equity of these measures, focusing in particular on developing countries.
-
-
-
State of the Global Climate 2022
The years 2015 to 2022 were the eight warmest in the 173-year instrumental record. Concentrations of the three main greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide – reached record highs in 2021, the latest year for which consolidated global values are available (1984–2021). The annual increase in methane concentration from 2020 to 2021 was the highest on record. Real-time data from specific locations show that levels of the three greenhouse gases continued to increase in 2022. This report shows that, once again, greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere continue to reach record levels – contributing to warming of the land and ocean, melting of ice sheets and glaciers, rising sea levels, and warming and acidifying of oceans. There are major gaps in the weather and climate observing networks, especially in the least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing States (SIDS), which is an obstacle for climate baseline monitoring, especially at regional and national scales, and for the provision of early warning and adequate climate services. The United Nations Early Warnings for All Initiative, spearheaded by WMO, aims to fill the existing capacity gap to ensure that every person on Earth is covered by early warning services. Achieving this ambitious task requires sound observations and regular updates on key climate indicators, as provided in this report.
-
-
-
The Race to Net Zero
The race to net zero focuses on three key sectors from which greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced and how this can be done. It considers how the energy sector can end its dependency on coal and phase out other fossil fuels; how to support low-carbon mobility and logistics; and how international trade and investment can help accelerate the transition of the region’s industries to a low-carbon future. Concrete proposals are made as to how these major shifts can be financed and how better to measure challenges and progress. The proposals are grounded in regional cooperation. The present report presents recommendations on building regional frameworks or partnerships on green power corridor, low-carbon transport, and a low-carbon and climate-smart transition, and collaborating on policies for climate-smart trade and investment, climate finance and monitoring.
-
-
-
WMO Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update
The Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update is issued annually by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). It provides a synthesis of the global annual to decadal predictions produced by the WMO designated Global Producing Centres and other contributing centres for the period 2023-2027. It observed climate of the last five years to provide a context for the predictions shown later in this report.
-
-
-
A Transition Approach to Poverty Reduction and Climate Finance
The world is currently facing a triple crisis: food, energy, and climate. People living in poverty and in developing countries, especially in Africa, are on the frontline, suffering most in a crisis they did not create. Many solutions are available but major change will only happen when a large enough part of the international system moves in the same direction, and solutions are tailored to specific country contexts. This report proposes principles and a framework to guide policy and financing options on adapting to life in a changing climate and a green transition, while achieving poverty reduction goals. These principles reveal the need to take specific development contexts into account when designing strategies, policies and financing options.
-
-
-
One Atmosphere: An Independent Expert Review on Solar Radiation Modification Research and Deployment
We have ‘One Atmosphere’. Everyone is a stakeholder. Since the beginning of the industrial era, carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) have been accumulating in the atmosphere due to fossil fuel burning and changes in land use such as deforestation. As a result, anthropogenic climate change is now affecting every region across the globe. The consequences of continued GHG emissions will be severe and long-lasting, including exceedance of temperature targets; increases in the frequency, intensity and persistence of extreme weather and climate events; reductions in sea and land ice, snow cover and permafrost; and sea level rise. Through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and other processes, the international community has been working to reduce GHG emissions. However, action and current commitments are not yet sufficient to meet the Paris Agreement’s temperature goals. This situation has led to increased interest in understanding whether an operational large-scale Solar Radiation Modification (SRM, or sometimes called ‘solar geoengineering’) deployment might be able to help protect humans and the ecosystems upon which humanity depends.
-
-
-
Emissions Gap Report 2022
Every year, the negative impacts of climate change become more intense. Every year, they bring more misery and pain to hundreds of millions of people across the globe. Every year, they become more a problem of the here and now, as well as a warning of tougher consequences to come. We are in a climate emergency. And still, as UNEP’s Emissions Gap Report 2022 shows, nations procrastinate. Since COP26 in Glasgow in 2021, new and updated nationally determined contributions (NDCs) have barely impacted the temperatures we can expect to see at the end of this century. This year’s report tells us that unconditional NDCs point to a 2.6°C increase in temperatures by 2100, far beyond the goals of the Paris Agreement. Existing policies point to a 2.8°C increase, highlighting a gap between national commitments and the efforts to enact those commitments. In the best case scenario, full implementation of conditional NDCs, plus additional net zero commitments, point to a 1.8°C rise. However, this scenario is currently not credible. To get on track to limiting global warming to 1.5°C, we would need to cut 45 per cent off current greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. For 2°C, we would need to cut 30 per cent. A stepwise approach is no longer an option. We need system-wide transformation. This report tells us how to go about such a transformation. It looks in-depth at the changes needed in electricity supply, industry, transport, buildings and food systems. It looks at how to reform financial systems so that these urgent transformations can be adequately financed.
-
-
-
Greening the Blue Report 2021
The Greening the Blue Report 2021 provides a snapshot of the UN system’s environmental impacts throughout 2020 and its activities to reduce them. The 2021 edition of the Report covers data for 2020 on environmental impacts, including greenhouse gas emissions, waste, water, environmental management, and, for the first time, procurement and human resources management functions. The report includes data on 56 entities from across the UN system, representing approximately 315,000 personnel in Headquarters, in thousands of field offices, and operations on the ground. It shows that in 2020, the UN system generated ~1.5 million tonnes CO2eq greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with per capita emissions of 5 tonnes CO2eq. In 2020, the emissions sources were 32 percent from air travel, 12 percent from other travel (rail, road, sea, etc.), and 55 percent from facilities. In 2020, 19 percent of UN electricity worldwide came from the use of renewable energies either purchased from the country grid or self-generated. The UN system was able to offset 99 percent of GHG emissions. While offsetting is an important factor in managing unavoidable emissions, the priority for the UN system remains emissions reductions and elimination. This edition of the Report reveals the impacts of COVID-19 on the UN system’s environmental footprint. With significant worldwide travel restrictions and many UN personnel working from home, the UN system generated approximately 25 percent fewer GHG emissions than in 2019.
-
-
-
Report of the Secretary-General on the Work of the Organization
The reports in this series are issued in response to Article 98 of the Charter of the United Nations which mandates the Secretary-General to provide an annual report to the General Assembly on the work of the Organization. The key priorities covered in the reports correspond to the eight priorities established by the General Assembly for each biennium, together with a final chapter on the effective functioning of the Organization.
-