With climate change intensifying and scientists warning that humanity is running out of time to limit global warming to 1.5°C over pre-industrial levels, 2021 has been a fraught year for the planet. This year's Emissions Gap Report is the 12th edition in an annual series that provides an overview of the difference between where greenhouse emissions are predicted to be in 2030 and where they should be to avert the worst impacts of climate change.
Released ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference, COP 26, the latest round of climate talks taking place in Glasgow, the report outlines how net-zero pledges could make a big difference. If fully implemented, these pledges could bring the predicted global temperature rise to 2.2°C, providing hope that further action could still head off the most-catastrophic impacts of climate change. However, the report also details that current net-zero pledges are still vague, incomplete in many cases, and inconsistent with most 2030 nationally determined contributions (NDCs).