• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Earth Wise

A look at our changing environment.

  • Home
  • About Earth Wise
  • Where to Listen
  • All Articles
  • Show Search
Hide Search
You are here: Home / Episode / Falling Behind On Climate Goals

Falling Behind On Climate Goals

December 24, 2018 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

https://earthwiseradio.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/EW-12-24-18-Falling-Behind-on-Climate-Goals.mp3

A series of reports from both the US Government and from the United Nations has underlined the dangers presented by the increasing effects of climate change.  To date, national commitments to reduce emissions have come up short.

Global concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide have all been increasing steadily over time, breaking records year after year.  Since 1990, there has been a 41% increase in the warming effect by various greenhouse gases on the climate, most of which is associated with CO2.  This should come as no surprise, since global emissions have reached historic levels with no signs of peaking – which is the point when emissions switch from increasing to decreasing.  Only 57 countries are on track to meet their emissions targets by 2030.

It is still possible to keep global warming below the extremely dangerous level of a 2-degree Celsius rise, but the technical feasibility of keeping warming below 1.5 degree is dwindling.  We have perhaps 10 years to dramatically change what we are doing.  In fact, if there are not dramatic changes in our current behavior, a rise of 3 degrees by the end of the century is predicted with catastrophic consequences.

The solution appears to be increasingly in the hands of local governments, companies, investors, higher education institutions and other non-state actors.  National governments have yet to develop the political will to make necessary changes.   For example, just eliminating fossil fuel subsidies would reduce global carbon emissions by 10% by 2030.  Setting the right carbon price could reduce emissions by 40% in many countries.

It is still possible to take action to prevent the worst effects of climate change, but we are rapidly running out of time.

**********

 

Web Links

Nations must triple efforts to reach 2°C target, concludes annual review of global emissions, climate action

Photo, posted September 6, 2017, courtesy of Bernd Thaller via Flickr.

 

‘Falling Behind on Climate Goals’ from Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Tagged With: action, carbon dioxide, carbon emissions, carbon price, catastrophe, climate, Climate Change, CO2, commitments, environment, falling behind, fossil fuels, global emissions, global warming, goals, government, greenhouse gases, historic, nitrous oxide, political will, reports, subsidies, targets, united nations, United States

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Recent Episodes

  • Methane And Wildfires | Earth Wise
  • Plastic Eating Fungus | Earth Wise
  • Explosive Growth Of Electric Vehicles | Earth Wise
  • Life In The Garbage Patch | Earth Wise
  • Geothermal Energy Storage | Earth Wise

WAMC Northeast Public Radio

WAMC/Northeast Public Radio is a regional public radio network serving parts of seven northeastern states (more...)

Copyright © 2023 ·