Brussels,Belgium – A decade after the landmark Paris Agreement aimed to limit global warming,nations are falling behind on commitments to drastically reduce emissions,sparking concerns about the international framework’s effectiveness. Delayed targets from the European Union and a rollback of pledges by the United States are contributing to a widening gap between stated goals and actual progress, experts warn.
The EU’s recent hesitation in formalizing deeper emissions cuts has been attributed to both the increasing difficulty of decarbonizing remaining sectors and a shift toward right-leaning politics within the bloc. “As the easier sectors are starting to become decarbonized, it becomes an increasing challenge to deliver,” explained Juergen Rogelj, a climate science and policy professor. “The current political mood music in the EU,with a clear resurgence from the right,which is not always in favor of environmental action,results in harder and more difficult negotiations.”
This delay is already having international repercussions. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese cited the EU’s goals as justification for his country’s own less ambitious target, as announced in a recent press conference.
“The internal disputes about the EU’s target ‘undermine their credibility,'” stated Cosima cassel, a program lead at the climate think tank E3G. “in the months going forward, we’re needing to see the EU double down on their climate leadership.”
The shortfall in nationally resolute contributions (NDCs) and the U.S. retreat from earlier commitments have prompted a reevaluation of the U.N. negotiating process that produced the Paris Agreement. Initial optimism following the 2015 agreement has waned, challenged by the rise of right-wing governments, pandemic-induced inflation, and geopolitical conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East-all diverting attention and resources from climate action. Global emissions continue to rise despite the agreed-upon need for drastic reductions.
Despite these challenges, experts continue to defend the value of the multilateral process. “It’s clear the Paris Agreement or the multilateral process is being challenged today,” Rogelj acknowledged. “But I do not see how a world in which there would not be this multilateral forum, there would be more trust or there would be more support.”
