More warnings!

A week before delegates arrive at Durban to take up what was left hanging at Copenhagen, UNEP has sounded another warning. By 2020, greenhouse gas emissions could rise exceed the level needed to limit global warming to 2°C by 6-11 gigatons of CO2 equivalent (GtCO2e), it says.

According to the latest report Bridging the Emissions Gap, keeping global warming to 2°C requires emission levels to be kept to around 44 GtCO2e in 2020. UNEP warns that if global governments’ weakest pledges are implemented, emissions are likely to reach around 54.6 GtCO2e. Even with more ambitious pledges it will only touch 50.

The report says that cutting emissions by 2020 to a level that would keep the global average temperature rise to 2°C is technologically and economically feasible. In particular, action is needed on aviation and shipping emissions, which currently fall outside of the Kyoto Protocol, and could account for up to 2.5 GtCO2e by 2020.

For a week or two, the media will be abuzz with Durban heat and dust. But will anything come out of it? Besides even more warnings??