Many countries have missed a United Nations deadline to submit updated climate targets, as efforts to address global warming face challenges following the election of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Nearly 200 nations under the Paris Agreement were expected to submit their updated national climate plans by Monday, outlining strategies to reduce emissions by 2035. However, several major polluters, including China, India, and the European Union, had yet to do so as of the deadline.
“The public is entitled to expect a strong response from their governments as global warming has now reached 1.5 degrees Celsius for an entire year, but we have seen little substantive action,” said Bill Hare, CEO of Climate Analytics.
The 2015 Paris Agreement aims to prevent global warming from exceeding 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. However, emissions reductions remain insufficient, with 2023 marking the first year global temperatures surpassed this threshold.
Countries Submitting Plans
Some large economies, including the United States, Britain, Brazil, Japan, and Canada, have announced new climate targets. However, Trump is expected to revise the U.S.’s previous commitments, having ordered the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and suspended some federal clean energy funding last month.
UN Climate Chief Simon Stiell noted that while many countries missed the deadline, most have signaled plans to submit their targets later this year.
“Countries are taking this seriously, which is understandable given these plans are linked to the $2 trillion invested globally in clean energy and infrastructure last year,” Stiell said. “Taking more time to ensure high-quality plans makes sense.”
Challenges and Delays
The missed deadline raises concerns about the priority given to climate action, with some officials pointing to the impact of shifting U.S. climate policies on international efforts.
- European Union: EU climate chief Wopke Hoekstra stated that the bloc's policy cycle did not align with the UN deadline but confirmed that its plan would be ready for the COP30 climate summit in November.
- India: Officials reported that required studies are still ongoing before finalizing the country’s climate plan.
- China: A foreign ministry spokesperson stated that China will publish its climate plan in due course.
- Indonesia: The Environment Ministry awaits presidential instructions on submitting its targets.
The Zigong International Lantern Festival has opened in southwest China, drawing large crowds to hundreds of illuminated handmade displays ahead of th...
A suicide bombing at a wedding in north-western Pakistan has killed seven people, police said, in the latest attack to hit the country’s restive bor...
The recent peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan has reignited a sensitive debate in Georgia: does regional normalisation strengthen Georgia’...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 24th of January, covering the latest developments you need to ...
Firefighters were clearing the charred ruins of a Karachi shopping mall in Pakistan on Tuesday (20 January) as they searched for people still missing...
Uzbekistan plans to significantly expand the use of electric vehicles (EVs), targeting a 10% share of all passenger cars by 2030.
Türkiye has enhanced its environmental and cultural conservation efforts, registering 10,503 monumental trees and 319 caves nationwide.
As the world marks the tenth anniversary of the Paris Agreement, progress in combating global climate change is mixed.
Uzbekistan has signed a major financing agreement with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), securing $500 million to support the country’s shift toward a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy.
Firefighters were clearing the charred ruins of a Karachi shopping mall in Pakistan on Tuesday (20 January) as they searched for people still missing after a fire that burned for nearly two days and killed at least 67 people, police said.
President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the United States has an "armada" heading toward Iran but hoped he would not have to use it, as he renewed warnings to Tehran against killing protesters or restarting its nuclear programme.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has told his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian that Türkiye opposes any form of foreign intervention in Iran, as protests and economic pressures continue to fuel tensions in the Islamic republic.
Trilateral negotiations between Ukraine, Russia and the U.S. entered a second day in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, following an initial round of talks described by officials as productive.
Iran will treat any military attack as an “all-out war,” a senior Iranian official said on Friday, as the United States moves additional naval and air assets into the Middle East amid rising tensions.
Several people, including children, were reported missing in New Zealand's north island on Thursday after a landslide struck a coastal campsite amid heavy rain that caused evacuations of people to safety, road closures and widespread power outages.
At least four people were killed on Tuesday as floods swept across Tunisia during the worst torrential rain for more than 70 years in some regions, and there were fears the death toll could rise, authorities said.
The world has already entered an era of global water bankruptcy, with irreversible damage to rivers, aquifers, lakes and glaciers pushing billions of people into long-term water insecurity, according to a major United Nations report released on Tuesday.
Chilean President Gabriel Boric declared a state of catastrophe in two southern regions of country on Sunday as raging wildfires forced at least 20,000 people to evacuate and left at least 19 people dead.
A landmark global treaty to safeguard biodiversity in the high seas came into effect on Saturday, providing countries with a legally binding framework to tackle threats and meet a target to protect 30% of the ocean environment by 2030.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment