Climate change: our planet is way off track, says UN

THE record-breaking heat of 2019 showed the world is “way off track” for meeting climate change targets, according to the United Nations.

There were two major heatwaves in Europe, in June and July, with records set in the UK (38.7C/101.66F), Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and France.

Last year was the second hottest on record for the world, with a global average temperature of 1.1C above preindustrial levels, stated a report from the UN’S World Meteorological Organisation.

Antonio Guterres, the UN secretarygeneral, said that if trends carried on this way, we would not meet the requirements of the Paris Agreement.

The report noted there had been accelerating rises in sea level and more extreme weather, with devastating effects for people and wildlife.

The report said that last year was not an exception: the five years from 2015 to 2019 were the five warmest years on record and 2010-2019 was the hottest decade since records began in the 19th century.

Each decade since the Eighties has been hotter than any preceding decade, stretching back to 1850, according to the report, which had input from weather stations, experts, scientific institutions and UN agencies all over the world.

The trends continued in 2020, with the report published in the wake of the warmest January on record and the northern hemisphere experiencing an unusually warm winter.

Antarctica reported new highs in temperature, accompanied by largescale ice melt and a fracturing glacier that would result in rises in sea level.

Countries were expected this year to step up action over greenhouse gas emissions, under the Paris Agreement.

In a foreword to the report, Mr Guterres said: “We are currently way off track to meeting either the 1.5C or 2C targets that the Paris Agreement calls for.

“This report outlines the latest science and illustrates the urgency for farreaching climate action.”

The UN said it was a matter of time before the world registered another record hot year, predicting that would happen before 2026.

Isabella O’dowd, climate change specialist at the World Wide Fund for Nature, told The Daily Telegraph: “Our planet is on life support, and it us up to us to save it. This report is one of many warnings which we must listen to if we are to fight for our world.

“Ahead of this year’s climate summit in Glasgow, we must take urgent action and show leadership in the face of this climate and nature emergency – inaction is not an option if we are to protect our planet for future generations.”

Britain will look to reduce the impact of climate change and cut air pollution by planting native trees, such as oaks and birches, in urban areas.