NAIROBI, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) — The production of fossil fuels including coal, oil and gas is expected to soar this decade, hence undermining efforts to tame the escalating climate emergencies globally, according to a joint report by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and research partners launched on Wednesday.
According to the 2023 Production Gap Report, world governments plan to produce 110 percent more fossil fuels in 2030, a move that will place hurdles in efforts to limit atmospheric warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
“Governments’ plans to expand fossil fuel production are undermining the energy transition needed to achieve net-zero emissions, throwing humanity’s future into question,” said Inger Andersen, the executive director of UNEP.
Andersen said powering economies with clean and efficient energy is the only way to end energy poverty and bring down emissions at the same time.
Launched ahead of UN climate talks slated for Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, from Nov. 30 to Dec. 12, the 2023 Production Gap Report said that by 2050, the envisaged fossil fuel production will reach 350 percent and 150 percent above the levels consistent with limiting warming to 1.5 or 2 degrees Celsius respectively.
The report added that the crisis in Ukraine and ensuing pressure on the global energy supply have ignited plans for investments in new oil and gas infrastructure among producer nations but with minimal efforts to hasten the transition to clean energy.
According to the report, the global production levels for coal, oil and gas could be higher by 460, 29 and 82 percent, respectively, by 2030, based on the current governments’ plans to boost their consumption.
“Achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 requires governments to commit to, plan for, and implement global reductions in the production of all fossil fuels alongside other climate mitigation actions, beginning now,” it added.
Ploy Achakulwisut, a lead author of the report and scientist with Stockholm Environment Institute, an international research entity, stressed that a rapid shift from fossil fuels to cleaner varieties like solar and wind is urgently needed to secure a greener and livable future for humanity. ■
