2022 on Track to Break Grim Record as Earth Becomes an "Atlas of Human Suffering"

Climate change warnings are becoming reality and this is just the beginning as international efforts to cut planet-warming emissions founder.

Major new legislation, particularly in the United States and Europe, as well as a deal at UN talks to help vulnerable countries cope with an increasing onslaught of devastating climate impacts were some of the important progress made in the year.

Carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels, the main driver of global heating, are on track to reach an all-time high in 2022.

At a climate summit in Egypt in November, Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary General, warned of a stark choice between working together to fight global warming or committing suicide.

The most important decisions were put off.

The UN climate science experts issued their strongest warning yet of the dangers facing people and the planet, with a landmark report on climate impacts in February dubbed an "Atlas of human suffering".

The danger of climate change has been illustrated by a series of events.

Millions of people in the Horn of Africa are at risk of death due to a lack of food due to a lack of rain and heat.

The floods caused US$30 billion in damage and economic losses.

Robert Vautard, head of France's Pierre-Simon Laplace Institute, said that the year 2022. will be one of the hottest years on the planet.

This is not the end.

This year is on track to be the fifth or sixth warmest ever recorded, despite the impact on the atmosphere from LaNina, a periodic and naturally occurring phenomenon in the Pacific.

Vautard said the world will likely rise to a "new level" in warming when this phenomenon reverses.

Still polluting

The backdrop to last month's high-stakes UN climate talks in Egypt was the economy-battering climate extremes, which amplified the energy price surge for many countries as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukrainian.

The negotiations made history by agreeing to a fund to pay for climate damage.

Sherry Rehman, Pakistan's climate minister, said the move was a down payment on the long-term investment.

The emissions reductions needed to curb climate losses and damages in the future were not delivered by the conference.

The Climate Action Network said thatCOP 27 tackled the consequences of climate change, but not the cause.

To keep the 1.5 degrees Celsius limit in play, planet- heating emissions need to be slashed by 45 percent by the year 2030.

Nations were told to increase their emissions reduction commitments at the UN.

The world is on track to heat up by 2.5 degrees Celsius because only 30 countries have done so.

'Emergency room'

The failure of the climate talks to address the drastic emissions cuts needed was decried by Guterres.

In December, a crunch meeting was held in Montreal to address the problem of biodiversity loss.

Nations agreed on a plan to reverse decades of environmental destruction threatening species and the land and ocean.

The plan did not go far enough according to some environmentalists.

Next year will see a number of important climate milestones.

The international financial system and the role of international financial institutions will be reviewed in the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.

The publication of a "global stocktake" of progress on the Paris Agreement goal will take place at the next UN climate meeting in November of 2023.

The oil and gas industry and its financial contribution will likely be the focus of the talks in the Middle East.

She predicted that the issue would cause tension.

Agence France- Presse.