The Health and Human Rights Approach to Greenhouse Gas Pollution
Climate Emergency Institute
UN COP 29
United Nations 29th Conference of the Parties (to the 1992 UN climate change convention)
COP29 Baku https://cop29.az/en/home
2023 UN COP28 fossil fuel agreement
Successful basis of the first time countries agreed to transition away from fossil fuel energ
COP29 Baku https://cop29.az/en/home
2023 UN COP28 fossil fuel agreement
Successful basis of the first time countries agreed to transition away from fossil fuel energ
Climate Emergency Institute COP29 Alert
Download our COP29 Alert document
ULTRA-URGENT: Climate Change Is Accelerating — No More Time To Waste
There are no expectations that anything will happen on global emissions at COP29
Global emissions have to be in decline by next year (2025)
for 2°C and 1.5°C
Global emissions have to be in decline by next year (2025)
for 2°C and 1.5°C
"Global GHG emissions peak between 2020 and at the latest before 2025 in pathways that limit warming to 1.5°C and in those that limit warming to 2°C, and assume immediate action" (IPCC AR6, WG3, Summary for Policy Making, Headline Statements, C1).
UNEP calls for a “massive global mobilization to cut all greenhouse gas emissions, starting today,” or else the “continuation of current policies will lead to a catastrophic temperature rise of up to 3.1°C” (UNEP, 24 October 2024, Press release).
Please push to get this survival imperative of emissions decline by 2025 on the COP29 agenda.
The Facts from the IPCC 6th Assessment
“The scientific evidence is unequivocal: climate change is a threat to human wellbeing and the health of the planet. Any further delay in concerted global action will miss a brief and rapidly closing window to secure a liveable future” (IPCC AR6, WG2 on Impacts, Press release, 28 February 2022).
“Humanity has missed its chance of keeping global warming below 1.5°C”
(IPCC Chair Jim Skea, 6 October 2024).
(IPCC Chair Jim Skea, 6 October 2024).
What COP29 Needs to Hear
The IPCC 6th Assessment report “is a dire warning about the consequences of inaction, that shows that climate change is a grave and mounting threat to our wellbeing and a healthy planet” (IPCC AR6, WG2 on Impacts, Press release, 28 February 2022).
• 1.5°C global warming in 2024 will be a record and the first full year above the disastrously dangerous 1.5°C warming limit, estimated to be above 1.55°C (Copernicus).
• Emissions of global greenhouse gases in 2022 increased 1.2% (from 2021) to a new record of 57.1 billion tonnes (CO2equivalent) (UNEP Gap Report, November 2023).
• CO2 emissions in 2024 will be a new record year for fossil fuel CO2 emissions, a 0.8% increase (Global Carbon Project, 2024 Global Carbon Budget).
• Atmospheric CO2 levels reached 420 ppm in 2023, an 11% increase in 20 years (WMO, Press release, 28 October 2024).
• Carbon sinks show signs of weakening (European Space Agency, September 2024; Global Carbon Project, Global Carbon Budget 2022/2023/2024).
• The fixed unrelenting policies of our governments have us headed toward an unliveable world temperature increase of 3.2°C this century (IPCC AR6).
• At +2°C globally, global cereal crop yields are in decline, with large losses by 3°C (IPCC AR6 WG2 5.4.3.2), when yields should still be rising to meet human population increase.
The Human Cost Is Already Devastating
Extreme weather. “Widespread, pervasive impacts to ecosystems, people, settlements, and infrastructure have resulted from observed increases in the frequency and intensity of climate and weather extremes, including hot extremes on land and in the ocean, heavy precipitation events, drought and fire weather. Increases in frequency and intensity of extremes have already reduced food and water security” (IPCC AR6 WG2 SPM B.2.3).
Air pollution. Between 8 to 10 million people die EVERY YEAR from fossil fuel air pollution (K. Vohra, 2021). Climate change makes this toxic air pollution even worse.
Deaths. Climate change mortality by 2050 is predicted to be an additional 14.5 million deaths (World Economic Forum).
3.3 to 3.6 BILLION people live in contexts that are highly vulnerable to climate change impacts
(IPCC AR6, WG2, Headline Statements, B.2)
3.3 to 3.6 BILLION people live in contexts that are highly vulnerable to climate change impacts
(IPCC AR6, WG2, Headline Statements, B.2)
Youth are struggling. Our young people are suffering from widespread climate anxiety:
75% say “the future is frightening.”
83% say “people have failed to take care of the planet.”
Nearly half report that climate fears impact their daily lives (The Lancet, December 2021).
This is no surprise, as from now on the quality of life for children and youth will progressively deteriorate world-wide, and without rapid global emissions decline they face an unliveable future.
(IPCC AR6 WG2)
The Science is Crystal Clear
The world’s top climate scientists and the chair of the IPCC warned at COP28 that “without immediate and deep emissions reductions across all sectors, we will not meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.”
IPCC Chair Jim Skea has warned that “humanity has missed its chance of keeping global warming below 1.5°C and it will take heroic efforts to stay below 2°C” (6 October 2024).
Shocking Facts About Our Climate
• CO2 atmospheric levels are the highest they have been in 14 MILLION YEARS and increasing faster than ever, 10X FASTER than at any other time in 800,000 years (IPCC AR6).
• Sea level rise is accelerating, rising faster than ever.
• Ocean heating is accelerating.
• Arctic and now Antarctic sea ice extent is declining, an amplifying global warming feedback.
• Glaciers are disappearing at an accelerating rate, an amplifying global warming feedback.
• Species extinctions and wild-life population decline will increase under all scenarios
(IPCC AR5, WG2, B.2, and AR6)
The Most Outrageous Part
While the crisis unfolds, governments:
• are still subsidizing the fossil fuel industry, now giving fossil fuel corporations $7 TRILLION per year in benefits (IMF, 2023)
• DOUBLED their fossil fuel support in 2022 (IEA).
The Food Crisis Ahead
From the IPCC 6th Assessment, for every degree of warming, our crops suffer. IPCC R6, WG2, 5.4.3.2
• Corn/maize drops by 2.3%
• Soybeans drop by 3.3%
• Rice drops by 0.7%
• Wheat drops by 1.3%
Newer research has climate change impacts on major crop yields happen sooner (Jägermeyr, 2021).
“Risks of simultaneous yield losses in major food-producing regions will increase with global warming levels above 1.5°C”.
However, these projected reductions in crop production don’t fully account for extreme weather, pests, or soil degradation. (all of above section is from IPCC AR6, WG2, 5.4.3.2)
What Must Happen NOW
1. IMMEDIATE decline in greenhouse gas emissions
2. Immediate termination of all fossil fuel subsidies unconditionally
3. RAPID phase-out of ALL fossil fuels and greatly increased financing for clean energy
4. EMERGENCY action from all countries, especially from top emitters like China (which emits twice as much as the next highest country, the United States).
We Have No More Time
“The world faces unavoidable multiple climate hazards over the next two decades with global warming of 1.5°. Even temporarily exceeding this warming level will result in additional severe impacts, some of which will be irreversible.” The world’s top climate scientists have warned that there is a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a liveable future.
(IPCC AR6, WG2 on Impacts, Press release, 28 February 2022)