September 17 2017 (London): Commenting on the release of the latest UNFCCC NDC Synthesis Report, CDP Executive Director Nicolette Bartlett said: "The Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) synthesis report shows once again that the world is not on track to meet the Paris Agreement goals.
The 26th COP meeting in November has long been heralded as the COP that will move governments from discussion and negotiation to implementation and action. However, it is clear from the release of the penultimate round of updated NDCs, that national commitments currently fall short of the action needed to reach a 1.5°C, resilient future.
The IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) made clear the reality of the situation we face globally and the pathway we are on. Any increase in temperature is a terrifying prospect, and we know just how catastrophic the difference between 1.5°C and 2°C of warming is.
However, AR6 also illuminated the path forward and the ‘narrow corridor’ wherein a 1.5°C temperature rise can still be maintained. These findings should incentivise and provide a roadmap for governments, and whilst the current level of action is insufficient to meet the scale of the challenges we face, there is still a window of opportunity for governments, as well as cities, states and regions, to reset their goals and activities.
Ahead of COP26, CDP urges governments to ensure their NDCs are in line with a 1.5°C minimum target and ensure that robust roadmaps and policies are in place to get there. With a deadline for updated NDCs of 12 October, the final report release on 25 October will provide the clearest picture of where we stand.
It is encouraging to see that ambition has increased since the last NDC synthesis report was released in February, but there is still much progress to be made. Holding the COP Presidency this year, now is the time for the UK and other large economies to demonstrate leadership and accountability. The effects of climate change on people and planet are felt disproportionately by lower income countries. However, a year of extreme and too often fatal weather in the West should have reminded us that no nation is immune to the impacts of climate change.
Alongside governments, non-state actors, who are at the heart of the Paris Agreement, can and must act. Whilst we are seeing a huge momentum in net-zero pledges from corporates globally, it is vital that companies have 2030 science-based targets that are in line with 1.5°C, backed up by robust and credible transition plans. Companies must also be held to account for their progress against those plans. Governments should use the momentum of corporate progress to advance ambitious, net-zero aligned policies, giving clarity and confidence to non-state actors, in turn strengthening the ambition loop.
CDP also urges all governments, national and subnational, investors and businesses to ensure that climate change isn’t dealt with in isolation. Environmental issues are inter-connected, so climate change must be tackled in tandem with protecting and restoring nature, from water to forests and biodiversity.
In the ongoing absence of sufficient national climate commitments, reaching 1.5°C becomes increasingly difficult, if not unachievable. We know that solutions exist, technologies are available and capital is ready to be allocated. We now need to connect the dots, move faster and work even more closely together before it is too late."
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ABOUT CDP
CDP is a global non-profit that runs the world’s environmental disclosure system for companies, cities, states and regions. Founded in 2000 and working with more than 590 investors with over $110 trillion in assets, CDP pioneered using capital markets and corporate procurement to motivate companies to disclose their environmental impacts, and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, safeguard water resources and protect forests. Over 10,000 organizations around the world disclosed data through CDP in 2020, including more than 9,600 companies, worth over 50% of global market capitalization, and over 940 cities, states and regions, representing a combined population of over 2.6 billion. Fully TCFD aligned, CDP holds the largest environmental database in the world, and CDP scores are widely used to drive investment and procurement decisions towards a zero carbon, sustainable and resilient economy. CDP is a founding member of the Science Based Targets initiative, We Mean Business Coalition, The Investor Agenda and the Net Zero Asset Managers initiative. Visit cdp.net or follow us @CDP to find out more.
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