Global Climate Goals Remain Out of Reach

(MENAFN) A decade after the landmark Paris Agreement was adopted, the world is still far from achieving its 2030 climate objectives.

In 2025, the United States, recognized as the "biggest historical polluter," has once again exited the pact, drawing global attention and concern.

The Paris Agreement, endorsed by 195 nations on December 12, 2015, and implemented in 2016, set out clear targets: to restrict global warming to "well below 2 degrees Celsius," strive for "1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels," and attain "global net-zero emissions by the second half of this century."

Only Iran, Libya, Yemen, and Eritrea chose not to join the agreement initially. Following its recent move, the US stands alone as the only nation to have officially withdrawn.

The agreement has successfully elevated climate change to a top-tier issue in global politics, prompting more countries to adopt measures to cut emissions and enhancing international collaboration on environmental policies.

Despite this progress, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) remain insufficient to reach the temperature limits outlined in the pact.

The primary obstacles—political instability, heavy reliance on fossil fuels, limited funding, and fears over economic consequences—persist largely unchanged.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) published its Emissions Gap Report 2024: 'No more hot air … please!' ahead of COP29, highlighting the urgent need for more ambitious climate action.

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