World has a decade to avert devastating warming, U.N. panel says

The earth is likely to reach a level of catastrophic warming within the next decade if urgent actions are not taken, a major United Nations report warns.

In order to stop this, nations will need to make an immediate shift from the traditional use of fossil fuels to prevent the planet from overheating beyond that point, it says.

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The report released Monday by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a body of experts convened by the UN, says global average temperature is projected to rise 1.5 degree Celsius above the pre-industrial point around “the first half of the 2030s” as humans continue to burn coal, oil and natural gas.

The report is seen as the most comprehensive understanding to date of ways in which the planet is changing.

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In 2015, almost all the nations agreed to pursue plans to maintain global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius under the Paris climate agreement. Higher temperatures will cause more heat waves, flooding, drought, crop failures and species.

Many nations including Nigeria are still struggling to meet up with demands that will guarantee a reduction in the global warming rate. Developing nations like Nigeria blame lack of finance and rely on fossil fuels for most of their revenue and foreign earnings.

The UN report, approved by 195 governments, says fossil fuel infrastructure such as coal-fired power plants, oil wells, factories, cars and trucks across the globe have emitted enough carbon dioxide to warm the planet by roughly 2 degrees Celsius in this century and China and the United States are the biggest polluters.

Regardless, both countries have approved new fossil fuel projects. Last year, China issued permits for 168 coal-fired power plants of various sizes, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air in Finland. Last week, the U.S. government approved a huge oil drilling project known that will take place in Alaska.

The report said most of such projects should be cancelled, retired early or clean-up be done thoroughly to reduce global warming.

“The 1.5-degre1.5-degree achievable, but it will take a quantum leap in climate action,” António Guterres, the United Nations secretary-general said.

Mr. Guterres, in reaction to the report, called on countries to stop building new coal plants and to stop approving new oil and gas projects.