Climate Change Undermines Nearly All Sustainable Development Goals
At the half-time point of the 2030 Agenda [for Sustainable Development], 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 a new multi-agency report coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
Only 15 per cent of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are on track, says the United in Science 2023 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.
The report shows, for example, how weather predictions help boost food production and move closer to zero hunger. Integrating epidemiology and climate information helps understand and anticipate those diseases sensitive to climate. Early-warning systems help to reduce poverty by giving people the chance to prepare and limit the impact of extreme weather on their livelihoods.
The need for science and solutions is more urgent than ever.
Between 1970 and 2021, there were nearly 12,000 reported disasters from weather, climate and water extremes, causing over 2 million deaths and U.S.$4.3 trillion in economic losses. Over 90 per cent of these reported deaths and 60 per cent of economic losses occurred in developing economies, undermining sustainable development.
Rising global temperatures have been accompanied by more extreme weather. The chance of the annual mean global near-surface temperature temporarily exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels for at least one of the next five years is 66 per cent and is increasing with time.
So far, there has been very limited progress in reducing the emissions gap for 2030 -- the gap between the emissions reductions promised by countries and the emissions reductions needed to achieve the temperature goal of the Paris Agreement. Fossil fuel carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions increased one per cent globally in 2022 compared to 2021 and preliminary estimates from January to June 2023 show a further 0.3 per cent rise.
To get on track to meet the Paris Agreement goals of limiting warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius and preferably 1.5 degrees Celsius, global greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced by 30 per cent and 45 per cent, respectively, by 2030, with CO2 emissions getting close to net zero by 2050. This will require large-scale, rapid and systemic transformations.
Some future changes in climate are unavoidable, and potentially irreversible, but every fraction of a degree and ton of CO2 matters to limit global warming and achieve the SDGs, according to the report.
To read the report in full, click here.
(WMO, September 14, 2023)
This article was published in
Volume 54
Number 27 - April 20 2024
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2024/Articles/MS54279.HTM
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