UN Global Stocktake raises alarm over insufficient progress on climate protection

• The Paris Agreement's goal of limiting global warming to 2 degrees Celsius or even 1,5 degrees Celsius is becoming increasingly unattainable
• The global stocktake, the UN Global Stocktake Report, calls for fundamental systemic change, social justice and financial transfer
• The report will be central to the UN climate summit COP28 in Dubai

The window of opportunity to prevent the worst impacts of climate change is rapidly closing current Global Stocktake report from the UN Climate Secretariat. Although there are already some improvements compared to recent years, this is still not enough to achieve the ambitious goal of Paris Agreement from 2015 to be achieved.

What is the UN Global Stocktake Report?

The Paris Agreement, which countries agreed to eight years ago, aims to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times and even aim for 1,5 degrees Celsius. According to scientific knowledge, the latter is the threshold for preventing the most serious and irreversible consequences of climate change. Countries decided then to create a global stocktake to monitor their progress in addressing climate change in 2023 and then every 5 years - the so-called Global Stocktake Report.

The results of the global inventory

The global inventory, the first of its kind, was created to examine the extent to which countries are meeting their commitments to curb global warming. The central finding of the report is sobering: current policies are not sufficient to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement. Global warming is already 1,2 degrees Celsius higher than in pre-industrial times, triggering global heatwaves, wildfires and devastating droughts and floods.

Central Key Findings of the UN Stocktake Report

1. Transparent reporting can and international cooperation
2. Renewable energies must be expanded significantly and quickly
3. Deforestation must be stopped and reforestation must be carried out
4. Fossil fuels, without carbon capture, have no future
5. Electric vehicles offer the greatest reduction potential in the transport sector
6. Food waste must be reduced and sustainable agriculture promoted

The urgent need for improvements extends to all areas of life. From the economy to transport to nutrition and energy production. Tackling climate change requires a fundamental "systemic change" in the way our world works, the report emphasizes. At the same time, he warns of the potential for social unrest that can be triggered by too rapid changes. The UN report also highlights the importance of broad human participation and social justice as indispensable companions to committed climate policy.

Another key aspect of the report is the importance of financial transfers. Richer countries must provide more resources to enable poorer countries to transition to cleaner development.

Outlook for the UN climate summit

This report will undoubtedly be at the heart of the climate negotiations. For this, almost 200 countries will come together at the UN climate summit COP28 in Dubai in December. The global community is faced with the urgent task of taking decisive steps. This is necessary to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and prevent the irreversible effects of climate change.