UNEP Report Launch: Navigating 1.5°C Warming - Press Conference | United Nations

UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director Inger Andersen spoke to reporters today (2 Sep) via video link from Nairobi. She introduced the Programme’s new report, Limiting Overshoot, which identifies an ‘overshoot, peak, and decline’ pathway as the best remaining option to minimize the magnitude and duration of this overshoot and try to return to below 1.5°C as soon as possible. Andersen said, “this report tells us that global temperature rise is set to cross the 1.5°C above pre-industrial level, and thereby crossing what the world agreed during the Paris Agreement talks in 2015, and this will likely be taking place within the next few years.” “This is the legacy of our own inaction,” she emphasized, adding “across the globe, extreme heat waves are already proving that climate impacts will strike faster, hit harder and last longer, costing more lives and causing deeper disruptions.” The Executive Director warned, “above 1.5°C, we can expect an intensification of extreme weather, of glacier melt, of ecosystem loss, and of sea level rise and human health and food and water security. Cities and infrastructure will come under increasing strain.” Andersen underscored the options, she said “how to - by getting on a so-called overshoot peak and decline pathway, how to make that journey. And that means keeping the peak as low as possible and keeping the peak as short as possible, and then working very hard to bring the temperature back down as quickly as possible. Structure will come under increasing strain.” The UNEP chief reiterated, “the quickest and most effective way that we can do this is by accelerating transition away from fossil fuels, delivering deep cuts to CO2, methane and other greenhouse gas gases obviously.” She added, “Addressing key sectors, obviously energy, but also cooling and energy efficiency, demand and supply side reform will remain important. And this will determine how long the overshoot lasts and whether we are able to bring that temperature back down.” Andersen highlighted, “we need stronger political will and stronger multilateralism. We need more agile and inclusive governance. We need to consider equity and justice, because that has to be at the core of all actions. And we will, of course, need much more finance. Countries with greater historical responsibility for climate change should do the most work.” “The future will bring many unknowns, but we do know that decisions taken now will determine if we have a chance of returning to 1.5 or below,” Executive Director said, reiterating, “every fraction of a degree avoided, every year by which the overshoot is shortened, and every adaptation action taken will save lives, will protect ecosystems, and reduce economic losses.”


For more information or to watch video on YouTube, click here!