United Nations (UN) Environment Program Executive Director Inger Andersen has warned that global emissions must be cut nearly in half by 2030 to meet climate targets, urging nations to "strive to do better."
In a video address to the United Nations Climate Summit 2025 held in New York on Sept. 24, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced China's pledge to reduce economy-wide net greenhouse gas emissions by 7 percent to 10 percent from peak levels by 2035.
Speaking to China Media Group in Beijing on Oct. 16, Andersen said she hopes all countries will embrace the same spirit in President Xi's remarks.
"We saw global emissions [growth] drop, but they're still increasing, but the increase used to be at 1.7 percent, now it's at 0.3 percent. But the reality that we are globally, I'm speaking globally, increasing our emissions is a concern. Because that translates into, therefore, if we are to hit 1.5 degrees, we will need to reduce our emissions by something like 47 percent by 2030. And that's hard. And then the question is, how fast we drive it down again? This is where this 'striving to do better', stretching every day to do better, we want all countries to do that," said Andersen.
Responding to setbacks in global climate commitments, such as U.S. President Donald Trump's dismissal of climate change as "a con job", Andersen emphasized that the science is clear and most countries remain firmly committed to action.
"There are 193 member states of the United Nations, and there are 192 that are still very much pushing in favor of and in pursuit of the climate convention and the climate goals. That's the focus that we at the United Nations have to have. And we're very pleased to see that across the world in these 192 countries, there is an absolute commitment to make this happen," said the UN official.
"And the good thing is that we are seeing that the ecological civilization, the green and clean development, is, in fact, what is driving jobs, driving opportunity, driving growth, driving security. And so that is a dimension that many countries are very aware of. Now, we are seeing a number of countries making efforts, including, I have mentioned China, but I should also mention many European countries, many countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, North America, Canada. And I think that's very important, not to lose hope and faith that the world is moving [forward]," she said.
UN environment chief urges nations to "strive to do better" as emissions continue to rise
UN environment chief urges nations to "strive to do better" as emissions continue to rise
UN environment chief urges nations to "strive to do better" as emissions continue to rise
