UNEP Releases Emissions Gap Report 2025
Why focus: UNEP NDCs tracking—GS3 Environment, sets up Match-the-Following on global climate reports. Clusters well with WB report.
In News
What Happened
Why It Matters
Background
History & Context
What Changed
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BEFORE: Previous international climate models left some ambiguity about the sufficiency of existing climate pledges. NOW: The 2025 report explicitly confirms a massive shortfall, projecting a 2.3 to 2.5 degrees Celsius temperature rise despite full implementation of current Nationally Determined Contributions.
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BEFORE: India's absolute emission growth was largely viewed as a standard trajectory for developing nations. NOW: India officially recorded the highest absolute rise in total greenhouse gas emissions among major economies, marking a 3.6 percent increase in 2024.
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BEFORE: Global climate discourse often treated total emissions and per capita emissions as separate talking points. NOW: The report sharply contrasts India's extremely low per capita emissions (3 tCO2e) against its rapid absolute emission growth, emphasizing the dual reality of its climate profile.
Prelims Angle
NCERT Connection
Practice Questions
Q1
Correct Statement(s)Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding the UNEP Emissions Gap Report 2025? 1. The report projects that global temperatures will remain below the 1.5 degrees Celsius target if current Nationally Determined Contributions are fully implemented. 2. India recorded the highest absolute rise in total greenhouse gas emissions among major economies in 2024, despite having low per capita emissions.