Sweta Chakraborty, U.S. President of climate action network We Don't Have Time, joined Cheddar News, to discuss the UN’s report saying that we are “nowhere near hitting climate targets.”

Sweta Chakraborty, U.S. President of climate action network We Don't Have Time, joined Cheddar News, to discuss the UN’s report saying that we are "nowhere near hitting climate targets."

UN Says Nations Nowhere Near Climate Goals

let's switch gears the world is nowhere near hitting its targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions. That's according to a new report from the U. N. Revealing the current trajectory would see temperatures increase to 2.5 degrees Celsius above pre industrial averages by the end of the century. One full degree higher than the goal set out in the Paris climate agreement that was in 2015 joining me now is set to chakraborty us president of we don't have time and climate behavioral scientists to welcome back to the show. Can you further break down the key takeaways from this very important report? The timing of this report is really critical to the U. N. Released it just as we're coming up to the U. N. Climate conference where all the countries will meet in person in Sharm el Sheikh Egypt and they'll be talking about where the pledges are since all of this started when the paris accords were signed and how far we still need to go to ensure that we keep warming to below this 1.5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century with this report and the critical timing of this report before this conference, the point of releasing it was to say we're nowhere near that 1.5 degrees Celsius. We are on track for 2.8 degrees and every 10th of a degree makes a massive difference. There's Siri the ripple effects that come from global temperature warming that affects people's health that affects ecosystems that affects animals and so having the reality of what we're facing in place before all these country delegations come together is really key. So that we really make pledges that we commit to. So we stop talking about it and we actually have some blueprints and action for people that don't really understand how bad this could be if countries don't improve their climate goals and further cut down on emissions, what does this mean for the future of our planet? We're talking about health impacts, environmental impacts, impacts to our food systems. There are so many negative adverse outcomes if we don't adapt to what we know is in the pipeline, right? We know that the planet is warming, we're living in the midst of all of these impacts right now and we know that we're locked into more warming but we can get ahead of it, knowledge is power. So we can be proactive and we can take steps to really make communities resilient, especially those communities that are most vulnerable, those along coastlines, right? We know that sea level is rising and so those those communities that are at sea level are really vulnerable to impacts of the planet warming. They're going to be the first point of contact with a lot of these uh with a lot of these adverse outcomes. So we can really get ahead of it and protect our communities around the world. And then we can all work together collectively to mitigate against worser warming scenarios. Both things need to happen. We need to adapt to what's coming, what's already here and we need to stave off the worser warming scenarios. We've seen so many dire reports and warnings on climate crisis you know that better than I do. Do you think they're actually having an impact on climate policies if not what needs to be done to urge these countries to really take the situation more seriously? I think countries were really looking to the United States to step up and with this inflation reduction act that was passed in the United States again before this critical timing, right just before the U. N. Climate crisis, the the U. N. Climate conference that was a Freudian slip there which is probably pretty accurate of what's coming right. But the fact that the United States has really stepped up has really put through this legislation that is going to make communities in the United States more resilient and really usher in a transition to clean energy that is showcasing that US leadership and that look even the United States the historic worst polluter, worst carbon emitter in the world can make this type of uh federal level legislation happen. Other countries can do the same. So there is hope they're showcasing that countries can be transparent, countries can pivot now we really need to see other historic polluters step up and not just step up internally domestically but support other countries, support more vulnerable countries in meeting their climate goals as well and increasing resiliency. We need to come up with $100 billion that we promised in climate finance to countries around the world, the less affluent countries that need that support from richer countries to really protect themselves so that we know the conference is coming up. I would love you to come back on the show and break it down after it happens. We always appreciate you on the show to talk about the US president of We don't have time and climate behavioral scientists. Thank you again.