To address climate change, the Paris Agreement aims to substantially reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and to limit the global temperature increase in this century to 2 degrees Celsius. It includes commitments from all countries to reduce their emissions and work together to adapt to the impacts of climate change and calls on countries to strengthen their commitments over time. The Agreement entered into force on 4 November 2016, and to this date 189 countries have ratified it. Most recently, the Secretary-General welcomed the United States return to the accord.

In a recent interview, UN Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance Mark Carney spoke about how private finance is increasingly aligned behind achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. He underlined that people everywhere should keep up the pressure in calling for climate action: "Don’t assume that your politician cares about this issue as much as you do. But they will the more you and others raise it with them. And now is the time, because climate is becoming a mainstream issue, and a lot of big decisions are being taken."

The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to hamper the efforts of developing countries to adapt to the climate crisis. This is the analysis of Dr.

This video explains the basics of the #ParisAgreement: the international UN treaty of 2015 that aims to tackle #ClimateC

UNEP warns 2020 was not only the year of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also the year of intensifying climate change: high temperatures, floods, droughts, storms, wildfires and even locust plagues. Even more worryingly, the world is heading for at least a 3°C temperature rise this century. We need strong action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to meet the Paris Agreement goals of holding global warming this century to well below 2°C and pursuing 1.5°C. Nations must urgently step-up action to adapt to the new climate reality or face serious costs, damages and losses.

More than 1,100 photographs were submitted to the competition, which has become one of WMO’s most popular fixtures.  Of these, 70 photographs – in keeping with the World Meteorological Organization’s 70th anniversary – were selected for public voting on social media. Following the social media voting, a WMO jury of meteorologists and photographers selected 13 winning photos for the calendar (one per month, plus cover photo). The final selection was based on votes, photographic merit and meteorological interest, like this supercell in Colorado. 

Five reasons to be optimistic about climate action

There are encouraging signs, from the world’s largest economies to Small Islands Developing States and Least Developed Countries, that remind us of our potential if we accept responsibility and embrace solutions. On the eve of the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement, here are five key reasons to be optimistic.

Some 2 million people and 20 million livestock inhabit the semi-arid plains of East Darfur. A rising population and more frequent climatic variability, combined with ineffective governance and policies have put a severe strain on natural resources, such as water and land. These challenges have been exacerbated by a major armed conflict in Darfur that began in 2003. In a number of communities across East Darfur, things are slowly starting to change, with women playing a greater role in various decision-making processes.

Kiribati risks becoming the first country to lose its land territory to climate change, as sea levels rise. Supported by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, Kiribati's people are working to protect their islands, planting mangroves and preserving the shoreline.

For over a decade, the UNEP Emissions Gap Report has provided a yearly review of the difference between where greenhouse emissions are predicted to be in 2030 and where they should be to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. The report finds that, despite a brief dip in carbon dioxide emissions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the world is still heading for a temperature rise in excess of 3°C this century – far beyond the Paris Agreement goals of limiting global warming to well below 2°C and pursuing 1.5°C.

Climate change continued its relentless march in 2020, which is on track to be one of the three warmest years on record. 2011-2020 will be the warmest decade on record, according to the WMO.

Monitoring climate adaptation in Guatemala’s marine coastal zones 

The UNEP report conducts a rigorous assessment of the contribution of material efficiency in residential buildings and light duty vehicle to greenhouse gas abatement strategies. 

The industrial slowdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic has not curbed record levels of greenhouse gases which are trapping heat in the atmosphere, increasing temperatures and driving more extreme weather, ice melt, sea-level rise and ocean acidification, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The lockdown has cut emissions of many pollutants and greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. But any impact on CO₂ concentrations - the result of cumulative past and current emissions - is in fact no bigger than the normal year to year fluctuations in the carbon cycle and the high natural variability in carbon sinks like vegetation.

Distilling herbs with zero waste in eastern Serbia