The Pledge to Protect Our Planet: Reducing Carbon Emissions

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: So, let me ask you, did you hear anything today from all those world leaders that gives you any hope that there are real plans to reach that Holy Grail, which is temperature at two degrees, or best-case scenario, 1.5 degrees Celsius? Because one of your chief advisers says that we’re on track to a four degrees Celsius situation.

PATRICIA ESPINOSA, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE: Well, Christiane, let me say that we are certainly now in a different scenario from where we were just a few months ago. So, yes, I think the summit that was convened by President Biden demonstrates, on the one hand, that climate change is a top priority, especially now. And this is particularly important, especially now that leaders are taking decisions on the COVID recovery packages. That means it brings an opportunity for them to make the investments in the right way. And the fact that we have heard announcements to enhance the goals of the national climate plans by the U.S., by Canada, by Japan is certainly encouraging. I would say that we are not yet there where we need to be to actually go towards the 1.5 goal, because, after Paris, where the two degree goal was approved, with the expectation of going closer to 1.5 as possible, we saw the IPCC report, the report by the scientific committee, that says clearly that the two degree scenario is still a disastrous scenario. So we have to concentrate on the 1.5 degree goal. I am encouraged, but we are very far from there.