The state of the climate crisis

In November 2015, 197 countries
came together in Paris

and agreed to pursue efforts

to limit the temperature increase
on our planet to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The Climate Action Tracker
monitors the climate commitments

and actions of 36 countries,

totally roughly 80 percent of today's
global greenhouse gas emissions.

Here's the bad news;

those emissions are still rising,

and have already warmed the globe
by 1.1 degrees Celsius.

The tracker makes two problems clear.

First, countries have not set emissions targets ambitious enough to reach the goals of the Paris Agreement. Even if every country hit their targets, the temperature would still increase by more than two degrees Celsius over the next 70 years, and continue to rise into the 22nd century and beyond. Second, governments are simply not delivering even on their unambitious targets. Everything these 36 countries have done so far, and everything they are currently planning, will only slow the growth in emissions. We need to do more than that. To have a hope of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees, we need to cut global emissions in half by 2030 and get to net zero by 2050. Let's go through the numbers. Of the 36 countries analyzed, only two are taking enough action to restrain global warming to 1.5 degrees. The Gambia has pledged to reduce its emissions, despite being one of the developing countries that has contributed least to the problem. And Morocco is building more and more solar power. Every other country is failing. 2020 is the year national governments were supposed to come together and strengthen their targets. So far, only a few have done so while others have announced they're sticking with their existing insufficient targets. Now, some countries aren't too far behind The Gambia and Morocco, such as India and Kenya. But the countries with the most advanced economies, those with the greatest capacity to innovate and help others, are shirking their responsibilities to lead. The United States is currently withdrawing from the Paris Agreement. China shows promise; its pledge to balance out its carbon emissions by 2060 could save the world as much as 0.3 degrees Celsius of global warming. But actions on the ground remain divided. China is the largest market for wind and solar power, but also for new coal-fired power plants. And the EU is taking steps in the right direction with its green deal to make member countries more sustainable. But this deal is still not enough for 1.5 degrees. So are there any signs of hope? One key measure is a country's willingness to clean up electricity. Clean power can enable other sectors to reduce or eliminate emissions. More than 50 countries, 30 regions, 160 cities, and 200 businesses have committed to 100 percent clean electricity. Denmark, Scotland, and the state of South Australia are almost there already, but much of the world still needs to commit to, and accelerate, this energy transition. There's more good news in the transportation center. More than 20 countries, five regions, 50 cities, and 60 businesses have already committed to 100 percent emission-free cars, motorcycles, and buses. Norway is mandating the end of all sales of fossil fuel cars by 2025. Meanwhile, the US is allowing companies to make cars that don't travel as far on a gallon of gas, rolling back fuel efficiency standards. Other sectors, such as steel and cement-making or aviation and shipping, are even further behind and tricker to clean up. But some steel and cement companies are developing carbon-free production, and Norway and Scotland are targeting carbon-free short-haul flights. In November 2015, 197 countries came together in Paris and set targets to fight climate change. These targets were already insufficient to reach the stated goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, and most are not on track to achieve even their own inadequate targets. We need more ambitious targets and much more ambitious actions. In the next decade, we need to transform key sectors of the global economy in order to reduce emissions. These changes will be difficult but not impossible because they will also bring enormous opportunities like creating millions of jobs. And don't lose track of this key point: such a transition will also mean cleaner air and a safer, more stable climate for all.