Nagpur: Some 64 countries cut their toxic carbon dioxide emissions during 2016-2019. However, the rate of reduction needs to be ten times greater than current global efforts to meet the Paris Agreement and tackle climate change. India is among the 64 countries and has been placed in the category of lower-middle and low-income economies.
This was revealed in the latest scientific analysis published in international scientific journal ‘Nature Climate Change’. The study, which has been conducted as part of the Global Carbon Project, is the first global stock taken by researchers that examines progress in cutting CO2 emissions since the Paris Agreement was adopted in 2015. Researchers Glen Peters and Robbie Andrew at Center for International Climate Research (CICERO) are among the authors of the study.
According to the study, 64 of the world’s countries cut their CO2 emissions in the period 2016-2019 compared to 2011-2015, while 150 countries saw their emissions increase. On the other hand, global CO2 emissions grew by an average of 0.21 billion tonnes per year from the 2011-2015 period to the 2016- 2019 period.
“Global emissions declined sharply in 2020, but with a rebound expected in 2021, efforts must be intensified if the world is to reach the targets of the Paris Climate Agreement and keep global warming well below 2°C,” the study stated.
It further highlights that while wealthier countries have managed to cut emissions, in the middle-income countries the growth in emissions has started slowing down. “In lower income countries, emissions showed no notable slowdown in 2016-2019 compared with the previous two five-year periods. These countries are greatly expanding their energy use as they develop their economies, with fossil fuels driving much of that expansion,” the study stated.
The scientists are clear that a green, post-pandemic recovery is critical if we hope to tackle climate change. Lead author Corinne Le Quéré, a royal society professor at UEA’s School of Environmental Sciences, said, “Countries’ efforts to cut CO2 emissions since the Paris Agreement are starting to pay off, but actions are not large scale enough yet. While the Covid-19 pandemic will reduce emissions by about 7% in 2020, they will not cause lasting decreases in emissions unless we move away from a fossil fuel-based economy.”
Glen Peters, research director at CICERO, said, “The Covid-19 pandemic came as global CO2 emissions were showing signs of a slowdown. The post- Covid era is a unique opportunity to lock in these earlier gains and use recovery funds to accelerate change.”
WHAT STUDY SAYS
* 64 countries cut toxic CO2 emissions during 2016-2019
* Rate of reduction needs to be 10 times greater to meet Paris goals
* Global CO2 emissions grew by an average of 0.21 billion tonnes per year from the 2011-2015 period to 2016- 2019
* Scientists say post-pandemic recovery critical to tackle climate change
Source link
English