Paris Agreement under pressure as climate goals falter ahead of COP30: WWF

New Straits Times

3 days ago

GENEVA: The Paris Agreement, once a symbol of rare global unity, is increasingly at risk of losing its transformative power if world leaders continue to stall on delivery, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported.
With only a few months to go before the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 30) convenes in Brazil, alarm bells are sounding, as the world is not doing enough, and the consequences are fast approaching.
Under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, countries must regularly develop national plans of action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and deal with the impacts of the climate crisis.
These are called Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). But ahead of COP30, only slightly over 20 countries have submitted their NDCs out of 198 member states.
For WWF, the agreement still holds weight – but only just.
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"The Paris Agreement has great political significance and is symbolic of unprecedented global unity on climate change.
"Even if not all countries are meeting their goals yet, it does help shape laws, policies and public expectations.
"But it is undeniably under stress," Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, the leader of WWF's global climate and energy work, told Anadolu.
That stress, he said, comes from a gap between ambition and delivery, particularly from the countries with the most responsibility and capacity to lead.
"Before the Paris Agreement, scientists estimated global warming would reach 3.5 °C above pre-industrial levels by 2100.
"But if all climate plans committed to by countries so far are implemented, we are looking at more like 2.1 °C.
"So this is significant progress and shows that coordinated action works, but clearly it is not enough."
"The emissions pathways and climate trajectory have fundamentally shifted in the past decade.
"Now it is the economy, science and social demand that will continue to move this process forward.
"We have to keep our focus. We cannot afford to be distracted. And climate action must remain at the top of political agendas."
The delays, Pulgar-Vidal said, are not accidental; they are driven by deep, systemic challenges that continue to weigh down meaningful action.
"Turmoil in geopolitics, economic pressures, and the persistent, yawning gap between climate finance promises and delivery, lack of political will to fulfil existing climate commitments and to implement climate action addressing systemic changes needed, i.e., committing to timelines to phase out fossil fuels, coal, oil and gas, for example."
"Many developing countries want to be ambitious with their actions but need concrete support to get there."
The international community, he said, must not underestimate the power of people and civil society to shift the trajectory – especially in the critical months leading up to COP30.
"Whether it be deadly heat waves, raging wildfires or floods, the climate crisis negatively affects people and nature all over the world.
"People need to continue to demand strong action on climate change and the protection of nature.
"WWF, with many other NGOs in the environmental sector, acts to hold governments accountable and also helps identify solutions," he said.
Citing the WWF's latest report on engagement at COP30 and beyond, Pulgar-Vidal argued that civil society participation at COPs "must go far beyond symbolic attendance."
"It requires active, inclusive and influential engagement in negotiations and decision-making," he stressed.
As countries prepare to update their climate commitments ahead of COP30 in Belem, expectations are high for major emitters to act decisively.
But according to WWF, it's not just about adding renewables but about replacing fossil fuels entirely.
WWF argued that simply scaling up renewable energy isn't enough.
With global energy demand still rising, renewables often end up adding to, rather than replacing, fossil fuels.
Their recently published policy paper outlined a clear message to governments: true climate progress requires a full transition away from fossil energy, not just cleaner additions to the mix.
"So WWF is calling for a complete phase-out of all fossil fuels before 2050, with developed countries taking the lead," Pulgar-Vidal said.
"This is in line with the Global Stocktake, which contains the latest updates to the Paris Agreement."
He urged COP30 to define a timeline for phasing out fossil fuels with the respective milestones. WWF's report Phasing Out Fossil Fuels through NDCs 3.0, which was published on June 20, provides government policymakers with a concrete example of what this could and should look like.
With the clock ticking, WWF is urging political leaders to use 2025 as a tipping point, not another missed opportunity.
"While the transition to a more sustainable future is now underway at unprecedented levels, it needs to accelerate even more.
"We must use this landmark year to strengthen multilateralism to enable global climate action at scale.
"We must accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels and into renewables and enhance climate action urgently while helping build resilience in the most impacted communities," Pulgar-Vidal said.
Through initiatives like the NDCsWeWant campaign, WWF said it aims to equip policymakers with concrete strategies that meet both environmental and economic needs.
Since 2018, WWF has offered governments guidance and support on developing and implementing NDCs.
"WWF works directly with governments through many channels, but especially with our NDCsWeWant campaign, providing recommendations for policymakers on key elements we think are essential to be included in national climate plans," he said.
"We also provide practical tools that can enhance economic development, improve energy security and protect communities."
He warned that "without considerable emissions reductions in the next few years, we will overshoot the long-term 1.5 °C threshold in the next decade."
"We will then face the even greater challenges and costs of bringing temperatures back down to below that level," he added.
According to the World Meteorological Organisation, there is an 80 per cent chance that at least one year between 2025 and 2029 will be warmer than the warmest year on record, currently 2024.
And there is an 86 per cent chance that at least one year will be more than 1.5°C above the pre-industrial level.