Causes and Effects of Climate Change

01 March 2022

Fossil fuels �C coal, oil and gas �C are by far the largest contributor to global climate change, accounting for over 75 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90 per cent of all carbon dioxide emissions. As greenhouse gas emissions blanket the Earth, they trap the sun��s heat. This leads to global warming and climate change. The world is now warming faster than at any point in recorded history. Warmer temperatures over time are changing weather patterns and disrupting the usual balance of nature. This poses many risks to human beings and all other forms of life on Earth.

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All About the NDCs

Nationally Determined Contributions, or NDCs, are national climate action plans by each country under the Paris Agreement. A country's NDC outlines how it plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to help meet the global goal of limiting temperature rise to 1.5C and adapt to the impacts of climate change. The Paris Agreement requires that NDCs are updated every five years with increasingly higher ambition, taking into consideration each country��s capacity.

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Time to rethink ��outdated and ineffective�� international financial architecture

Some of the world��s poorest countries spend more on debt repayments than on health, education and infrastructure combined, severely hampering their chances of developing their economies. At the Summit of the Future, reducing inequality and improving people��s lives by overhauling the entire international financial system will be high on the agenda.

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Aligning AI and climate governance

Can AI governance be harnessed to combat climate change? Read about emerging global policies and their potential for climate action in this piece by the United Nations University.

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