Bridging the Emissions Gap: A UNEP Synthesis Report

Abstract

Global climate policy has advanced on several fronts over the past few years and this report deals with two developments of particular importance – The readiness of countries to pledge to new emission reductions, and the agreement among countries to an important global climate target. In December, 2009, countries were encouraged to submit pledges for reducing greenhouse gas emissions for the year 2020 as part of the Copenhagen Accord. Subsequently, 42 industrialized countries and 44 developing countries submitted pledges. At the climate conference in Cancún one year later, parties formally recognised country pledges and decided “to hold the increase in global average temperature below 2°C above pre-industrial levels”. They also left open the option for “strengthening the long-term global goal on the basis of best available scientific knowledge including in relation to a global average temperature rise of 1.5°C”. An obvious and basic question is, to what extent will the country pledges help to meet the 2°C and 1.5°C targets?