Dubai will host crucial COP28 talks aimed at outlining ‘drastic climate action’, as warned by United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres. The world is far off track in addressing global warming, with countries’ commitments to reduce greenhouse gases not enough to prevent warming beyond safe limits, potentially reaching a catastrophic 2.9 degrees Celsius this century, according to a new UN report.

Guterres emphasized the need for leaders to take immediate action, stating that current trends are leading the planet towards a dangerous increase of three degrees in temperature. He criticized the failure of leadership and the betrayal of the vulnerable, calling for an increased ambition in national plans to align with 1.5 degrees and end the use of fossil fuels.

The UN has warned that based on current policies, the planet is on track for disastrous warming of 2.5 to 2.9 degrees by 2100. Despite efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, the world continues to release record levels of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, with emissions rising by 1.2% from 2021 to 2022, largely driven by fossil fuel combustion and industrial processes.

The upcoming COP28 climate talks in Dubai will be critical in defining the necessary steps to combat climate change and outlining ‘drastic climate action’.