The Paris Agreement is Failing

World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Confirms it!

'There is a 66% likelihood that the annual average near-surface global temperature between 2023 and 2027 will be more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for at least one year', stated the annual report of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) that was released on 17^th May 2023. This is the first time that the UN organisation has confirmed with more certainty that the world is failing in its pursuit to meet the Paris Climate Agreement.

The Paris Agreement calls for all countries to nearly halve the global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2050 to limit the global temperature increase in this century to 2°C while pursuing efforts to limit the increase even further to 1.5°C. If we fail to achieve this to consequences will be disasters at the planetary level. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says that climate-related risks for global warming are more life-threatening, particularly to small island countries and least developing countries higher at 1.5 °C than 2 °C.

The report released by WMO is called 'Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update' issued annually. It provides a synthesis of the global annual and decadal (10 years) predictions produced by the WMO's centres spread across the world.

What should worry everyone is that more, a 98% likelihood that at least one of the next five years, will be the warmest on record! It is an early warning signal not only for higher temperatures but also early warning that the world is failing the Paris Climate Agreement and a life-threatening climate crisis is knocking at the door.

"This report does not mean that we will permanently exceed the 1.5°C level specified in the Paris Agreement which refers to long-term warming over many years. However, WMO is sounding the alarm that we will breach the 1.5°C level on a temporary basis with increasing frequency," said WMO Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas, while releasing the report

The COVID-19 crisis did not give any early warning. The serious and abrupt pandemic dealt with masks, washing hands and social distancing and finally vaccines.

Climate Crisis has given early warning. That too with global assessment. But the climate pandemic cannot be dealt with by wearing masks, washing hands and vaccines.

But there is hope. That hope is youth in the Universities and Higher Educational Institutes. They can get in action to accelerate the transformation for net zero through mitigation, adaptation through early warning and building partnerships through Smart Campus Cloud Network (see sccnhub.com) 

 Dr Rajendra Shende

Former Director UNEP, IIT Alumni

Founder Director, Green TERRE Foundation

Prime Mover Smart Campus Cloud Network 

Coordinating lead author of IPCC.