The annual United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) flagship Emissions Gap Report is now online. But what is this report really about? And why should you care? Keep reading to find out more.
1. What is the“Emissions Gap”?
The Emissions Gap could also be called the “Commitment Gap”. It measures the gap between what we need to do and what we are actually doing to tackle climate change. The gap is the difference between the low level of emissions that the world needs to drop to, compared with the projected level of emissions based on countries’ current commitments to decarbonization.
2. Why does the Emissions Gap Matter?
The gap is important because if we can’t close it and meet the emissions reduction target, we will face increasingly severe climate impacts worldwide. It is important that policymakers, and their citizens, know what the gap is so that the commitments countries are making are sufficient to close the gap.
