According to a new multi-agency report coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), global carbon emissions are heading in the wrong direction, with a huge gap between aspiration and reality. The report, United in Science, shows that greenhouse gas concentrations continue to rise, reaching record levels. Fossil fuels emission has now surpassed pre-COVID-19 levels after a temporary drop due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2030 emissions reduction pledge would need to be seven times higher to meet the 1.5°C target of the Paris Agreement. The past seven years have been the warmest on record. There is a 48% chance that in at least one year of the next five years, the annual average temperature will be 1.5°C warmer than the 1850-1900 average. As global warming increases, we cannot ignore the approaching ‘tipping point” of the climate system. Cities that host billions of people are responsible for up to 70% of fossil fuel emissions and will face increasing socioeconomic impacts from climate change; the most vulnerable population will suffer the most.
