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Global temperatures are estimated to swell by a staggering 2.4°C within the century, despite commitments made at COP26.
This is outlined in a new report and follows further predictions that one billion people will face fatal “extreme heat stress” as a result.
Climate Action Tracker (CAT), an organization that provides scientific analysis, claims in the report that there is a “gap” in commitments, which bears dire consequences.
Climate emergency report
In the Glasgow’s 2030 credibility gap: net zero’s lip service to climate action report, CAT dubs 2030 emission goals as “totally inadequate.”
While global leaders previously decided to set targets to keep global warming limited to 1.5°C, indications are that the planet will exceed 2.4°C by the end of the century.
It comes after COP26 urged member states to update Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), which outline how they can keep to 1.5°C targets.
It is “especially” important that developed countries take the lead on emission reductions to achieve this, the UN says.
Moreover, even with the fresh pledges at the Glasgow summit this year, we will emit around twice as many emissions in 2030 needed to keep to the 1.5°C targets.
And this “casts a long and dark shadow of doubt” over the wealth of agreements made by COP26 members, according to CAT.
These commitments also display “insufficient momentum.”
Further, the organization urges all governments to reconsider their targets. This is because, the analysis claims, not a single country has short-term policies in place to become net-zero.
One billion people to face deadly heat stress
In continued alarming news, the Met Office has sounded the report’s estimations.
Staggeringly, one billion people around the world are set to face a “fatal” combination of heat and humidity, if the temperates rise is as predicted.
Moreover, the weather service has dubbed it to skyrocket to 4°C, inclusive of wildfire and drought risks.
Climate impacts lead at the Met is Dr. Andy Hartley.
In a statement, Hartley said: “Vulnerable members of the population and those with physical outdoor jobs are at greater risk of adverse health effects.”
Currently, people in parts of India are at high risk. But Dr. Hartley stresses that the “extreme” temperature rise could affect people in “large swathes” of the world’s continents.
“All regions” of the world, encompassing the UK and Europe are expected to suffer from the climate crisis. This is according to regional director Prof Albert Klein Tank.
Professor Richard Betts of the University of Exeter said the analysis shows the urgency of keeping global warming under 2°C.
Despite this, “it is still possible to avoid these higher risks if we act now,” Prof. Betts adds.
