Pledges made so far under the 2015 Paris accord would deliver less than a 1 per cent reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 - a fraction of the 45 per cent cut needed to avert catastrophic climate change, a UN report says.
The tally underscored the challenge negotiators face as they try to secure more ambitious commitments from big polluters ahead of a climate conference in Glasgow in November that is seen as the most important since the Paris deal was signed.
"While we acknowledge the recent political shift in momentum towards stronger climate action throughout the world, decisions to accelerate and broaden climate action everywhere must be taken now," UN climate chief Patricia Espinosa said.
The report aimed to provide governments with a stock take on progress in implementing the Paris deal by the almost 200 countries that adopted it five years ago.
It said that 75 parties, jointly representing about 30 per cent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, had submitted new or revised emissions plans by December 31.
These included European Union countries and others such as the UK, Japan, Mexico, Brazil and Australia.
If implemented, the combined impact of these pledges would be to shave less than 1 per cent off global emissions by the end of this decade compared to 2010 levels.
Scientists say emissions must fall by about 45 per cent by 2030 to limit the rise in average global temperatures to 1.5C - the most ambitious Paris goal.
Major emitters such as China, the US and India have yet to unveil revised pledges ahead of the conference, leaving open the possibility that strong commitments from these and other countries could still improve the outlook.
"This is a status report. It's weak but there are many big emitters who can significantly change the picture this year," said Christiana Figueres, an architect of the Paris deal and co-founder of Global Optimism, a network promoting climate action.
Australian Associated Press
