Climate catastrophe.

Byline: Jamil Ahmad

CLIMATE change can push the world over the cliff if urgent action is not taken. As a threat multiplier, it can lead to poverty, insecurity and a breach of human rights. These well-known concerns formed the backdrop of the 2015 Paris Agreement which commits the world to keeping average global warming to below two degrees Celsius, and ideally 1.5AdegC. Importantly, it establishes a common framework for all countries to tackle climate change - a departure from the bifurcation of developed and developing nations which often led to acrimony and contentious outcomes at climate meetings.

The agreement formally adopts an inclusive 'all hands on the deck' approach to the contribution of non-state stakeholders to propel a coordinated response to a growing crisis by employing all means and galvanising action at all levels.

Developed countries reaffirmed their financial commitments for assisting developing countries to effectively combat climate change. Signatories committed themselves to raising ambitions after five years by revising their Nationally Determined ContriAbutions. The agreement entered into force in the unprecedented short time of less than one year.

The UN has since worked vigorously and rallied collaborative efforts to cut emissions and switch to renewables and facilitated financial and technological assistance to developing nations. Countries have implemented national plans, formed multi-stakeholder partnerships and joined UN-led international coalitions for climate action.

The last decade has been the warmest.

Despite these endeavours, the current state of play is highly disturbing. The last decade has been the warmest. NotwithAstanding an economic slowdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the year 2020 was one of the warmest years on record. A dire climate crisis looms larger than ever. Facing the brunt are poor nations and peoples as global warming threatens lifelines. Pledges of financial support from development partners have yet to fully materialise and match the gravity of the issue. Most developing countries are handicapped by financial and policy challenges.

Obviously, efforts to address climate Aemergency are falling short.

Two reports released lately by the UN Environment Programme provide insights into the crisis and offer possible ways out. The first report cautions against increased fossil fuel production and encourages governments to reverse the trend in favour of green and clean options and to 'wind...