They said current climate action commitments by the world’s governments are on track to collectively reduce global emissions by just 2.6pc by 2030 when the agreed reduction was 43pc.
This fell “far short” of the scale of action needed to cut emissions, halt temperature rise and calm the extreme weather events that were already causing massive damage in many nations and threatened all in the near future.
“The report’s findings are stark but not surprising,” said Simon Stiell, head of UN Climate Change.
“Current national climate plans fall miles short of what’s needed to stop global heating from crippling every economy, and wrecking billions of lives and livelihoods across every country.
“Greenhouse gas pollution at these levels will guarantee a human and economic trainwreck for every country, without exception.”
The report analysed all the emission cuts pledges and plans in the 192 countries that signed up to the global climate action agreement.
That includes Ireland which has committed to a 51pc reduction in emissions by 2023 although current forecasts suggest we will achieve a 29pc reduction at best.
All countries have been asked to revise their commitments, termed Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), by next February.
Next month’s Cop29 UN climate summit in Baku will attempt to focus attention on getting that job done.
This latest report is one of a number of publications from heavy-hitting global agencies being released in the run-up to the summit to inform the discussions that will take place over the fortnight.
It is published alongside a report from the World Meteorological Organsiation (WMO) which analyses the levels or concentrations of various greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
It shows that concentrations surged to an all-time record high last year.
They was due mainly to continued burning of oil, gas and coal but also to intensive agriculture, industry and destruction of forestry and other natural features that would otherwise lock away the gases.
These behaviours are “committing the planet to rising temperatures for many years to come”, the report warns.
“Given the extremely long life of carbon dioxide [CO2, the main greenhouse gas] in the atmosphere, the temperature level already observed will persist for several decades even if emissions are rapidly reduced to net zero.”
The report shows just under half of CO2 emissions remain in the atmosphere while just over a quarter are absorbed by the ocean and almost a third by land and forests.
That highlights how crucial the natural world is in helping to manage emissions but the reports warns that a “vicious cycle” of carbon-climate feedbacks can disrupt this vital process.
The more carbon emitted, the more the seas warm and they less effective they are at storing carbon.
The more carbon emitted, the more heatwaves caused devastating wildfirs that destroy natural vegetation that would otherwise store carbon.
“Another year. Another record. This should set alarm bells ringing among decision makers,” said WMO head, Celeste Saulo.
