UN previews Secretary-General's climate agenda; UNEP report shows current NDCs point to 2.3'C'.5'C warming this century

The United Nations said the Secretary-General discussed the need for accelerated action on poverty, inequality, job creation, climate finance and social inclusion at the World Summit for Social Development and will travel to Belem to address world leaders at the UN climate meetings.

The spokesperson cited a new report from the UN Environment Programme showing that current nationally determined contributions, if fully implemented, point to global warming of roughly 2.3'C to 2.5'C this century, an improvement from last year's 2.6'C to 2.8'C estimate but still well above the 1.5'C goal under the Paris Agreement. The briefing said scientists expect a temporary overshoot above 1.5'C as early as the early 2030s unless countries rapidly increase ambition.

The Secretary-General, the spokesperson said, will urge leaders to "ignite a decade of acceleration and delivery" and stressed that while progress has been made, present policies do not yet outline a credible pathway to keep warming to 1.5'C. The spokesperson emphasized that the UN is urging more ambitious nationally determined contributions and increased climate finance for developing countries.

The spokesperson also noted the Secretary-General's diplomatic meetings in Doha, including a meeting with Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz to discuss climate impacts in the Caribbean and UN support following Hurricane Melissa.