The 11th edition of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Emissions Gap Report was published on December 9, 2020.
What is Emission Gap?
- Report provides a yearly review of the difference between where greenhouse emissions are predicted to be in 2030 and where they should be to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
- Global GHG emissions continued to grow for the third consecutive year in 2019, reaching a record high of 52.4 GtCO2e (range: ±5.2) without land-use change (LUC) emissions and 59.1 GtCO2e (range: ±5.9) when including LUC (Land-use change).
- Fossil carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions (from fossil fuels and carbonates) dominate total GHG emissions including LUC (65 per cent) and consequently the growth in GHG emissions. Preliminary data suggest that fossil CO2 emissions reached a record 38.0 GtCO2 (range: ±1.9) in 2019.
- Over the last decade, the top four emitters (China, the United States of America, EU27+UK and India) have contributed to 55 per cent of the total GHG emissions without LUC.
- CO2 emissions could decrease by about 7 per cent in 2020 (range: 2–12 per cent) compared with 2019 emission levels due to COVID-19.
The following G20 members have net-zero emissions goals:
- France and the United Kingdom: By 2050
- The European Union: By 2050;
- China: To achieve carbon neutrality before 2060;
- Japan: Goal of net-zero GHG emissions by 2050;
- Republic of Korea: Carbon neutral by 2050
- Canada: Goal of net zero emissions by 2050;
- South Africa: To achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050;
- Argentina and Mexico: Net-zero emissions by 2050.
