The planet is heading towards "catastrophic" global warming, according to the UN

UN warns of climate crisis 0:40

(CNN) -

The planet is heading towards a warming of 2.7 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels - a figure much higher than the established target - according to a report from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Scientists have said that the planet needs to cut 45% of its emissions by 2030 to reach carbon neutrality by mid-century.

However, according to the report, with the current commitments of countries in terms of emissions, these will increase by 16% in 2030 compared to 2010 levels.

This would lead the planet to warming 2.7 degrees above pre-industrial levels, according to the report.

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Scientists argue that global temperatures should be kept below 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels to avoid the worst consequences of the climate crisis.

A UN report from August showed that the global temperature is already around 1.2 degrees warming.

In a statement on today's report, UN Secretary General António Guterres called the planet's current trajectory "catastrophic".

"The promise made six years ago to pursue the 1.5 degree Celsius target of the Paris Agreement is being broken," Guterres said.

"Failure to meet this goal will be measured in massive loss of life and livelihoods."

The report comes after a summer filled with extreme weather events triggered by climate change around the world: while the western US has been hit by wildfires, exacerbated by relentless drought, floods and hurricanes, China and Germany suffered deadly floods in July.

Meanwhile, southern Europe was fighting its own forest fires.

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Addressing the leaders of the Big Economies Forum on Friday morning, Guterres said that the UN climate conference in November, during which world leaders will meet to discuss emissions targets, has a "high risk of failure. ".

"It is clear that everyone must shoulder their responsibilities," Guterres said.

In his statement on the report, Guterres urged all countries to come up with more ambitious climate targets, or Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), that would create a more feasible path to 1.5 ° C.

He also lobbied developed nations to advance their promise of a decade of supporting developing countries with their own $ 100 billion pledges.

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NDCs create the foundation for nations to achieve the commitments of the 2015 Paris Agreement. They include information on goals, climate policies, and measures to reduce national greenhouse gas emissions.

The NDCs also establish the need for funding and technology to meet the objectives.

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According to the UN provisional NDC registry, there are currently 191 parties to the Paris Agreement, all of which have submitted their first NDCs.

Eritrea is the only country that is not yet a party to the Paris Agreement, but has submitted its own NDC.

But only 59% of the parties have submitted new or updated NDCs, according to the UN.

"This report is clear: ambitious climate action can avoid the most devastating effects of climate change, but only if all nations act together," said Alok Sharma, incoming COP26 president.

"Nations that have come up with ambitious new climate plans are already tilting the balance toward lower emissions by 2030."

"But without action by all countries, especially the largest economies, these efforts run the risk of being in vain," Sharma added.

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During the Major Economies Forum, a closed-door virtual meeting with other world leaders on Friday, President Joe Biden announced that the United States and the European Union have launched a global commitment to reduce emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. , by almost 30% by the end of the decade.

In addition, within the framework of the UN General Assembly in New York, the energy and climate ministers of Denmark and Costa Rica announced an effort to encourage countries to abandon oil and gas production.

"We have the tools to achieve this goal," Guterres said.

"But time is running out."

Global warming