Researchers: Climate pledges see world closing on Paris goal

<p>BERLIN &mdash; Recent pledges by the United States and other nations could help cap global warming at 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) by the end of the century, but only if goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to “net zero” by 2050 succeed, scientists said Tuesday.</p>
<p>More than 190 countries agreed in Paris six years ago to keep average temperature increases below that level — ideally no more than 1.5 C (2.7 F) — by 2100 compared to pre-industrial times. </p>
<p>The Climate Action Tracker, compiled by a group of researchers who translate emission pledges into temperature estimates, projects that the world is currently set to overshoot the Paris accord’s target by 0.9 degrees.</p>
<p>But if 131 countries that make up almost three-quarters of global emissions meet their pledged or discussed “net zero” goal, then the 2-degree target could be met, said Niklas Hoehne of the New Climate Institute. That’s 0.1 C cooler than <a href="https://apnews.com/article/paris-europe-climate-climate-change-e005822b0c98b188736f623a1fcd4256">the previous optimistic forecast</a> the group made in December.</p>
<p>Hoehne said U.S. President <a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-technology-business-climate-summits-949962c299ab8792d82d0d0fef57b046">Joe Biden’s recent ambitious new climate goals</a> had contributed significantly to the revised estimate, along with the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/eu-major-climate-deal-ahead-biden-summit-4685d734b48fc73cce63806351103e2e">European Union</a>, China, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-climate-yoshihide-suga-carbon-neutrality-summits-3690e8078574dd69de658c60b6d4a167">Japan</a> and Britain.</p>
<p>But the pledges still fall short and have to be further revised going forward, he said. </p>
<p>“We have to halve global emissions in the next 10 years," he said.</p>
<p>Asked whether the more ambitious goal of 1.5 C is still within reach, Hoehne said it was technically and politically feasible.</p>
<p>Germany has invited about 40 countries to a virtual meeting this week to discuss further international efforts to curb global warming, ahead of a U.N. summit in Glasgow in November. </p>
<p>Germany’s top court last week <a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-climate-climate-change-business-environment-and-nature-80cc854f7d1bf4e34b157f94958df4cc">ordered the government</a> to set clearer goals for emissions reduction after 2030.</p>