UN Sustainable Development Goal of the Month
“We can still limit the rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees. We can still build a world of clear air, green jobs, and affordable clean power for all. The path forward is clear.” – UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Climate Ambition Summit, 20 September 2023 .
Where are we
Every person, in every country, in every continent will be or is impacted in some shape or form by climate change. With rising greenhouse gas emissions, climate change is occurring at rates much faster than anticipated. If left unchecked, climate change will cause average global temperatures to increase beyond 3°C and will adversely affect every ecosystem and undo a lot of the development progress made over the years. Extreme weather events are displacing millions of people, the world is heating up, and out-of-control wildfires continue to cause death and destruction, from Canada to the Greek islands.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emphasizes that deep, rapid and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are crucial in all sectors, beginning now and continuing throughout this decade. In order to limit global warming to 1.5°C above preindustrial levels, emissions must already be decreasing and need to be cut by almost half by 2030 – this is just seven years away and unfortunately, we’re drastically off track from this target.
We need to raise ambition at all levels and transformation is needed across all sectors – industry, transport, forestry and agriculture. Solutions are available and investments in renewable energy have soared, but more needs to be done.
Read more about Goal 13: https://www.un.org/
SDG13 in Numbers
- At the current rate, the world will exceed 1.5°C by 2035 and faces a 2.5°C warming by 2100.
- The rate of sea-level rise has doubled in the last decade.
- Global emissions must be halved by 2030, on the way to net-zero by 2050, but on current national plans, emissions are set to rise by 10%.
- Almost 30% of electricity globally comes from renewable sources today.
- The cost of electricity from solar power dropped by 85% over the last ten years.
- If we act now, climate change can be limited! From business, civil society, to individuals, solutions are available around the world to secure a livable, sustainable future for all.
