Climate change has ceased to be a warning to unfortunately become a reality. In November 2025, the Annual United Nations Climate Change Conference of 2025 will be held in Bethlehem, Brazil. The 197 countries that make up the United Nations were supposed to have submitted their national climate plans in February of this year 2025, explaining how they commit to comply with the Paris International Agreement, through which the signatories agreed to limit global temperatures, with a maximum cap of 1.5°C of global warming. These plans must also be presented at COP30, but so far, only 25 countries have developed and submitted them. Among them are countries from Africa, such as Somalia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Piers Forster is the one who leads the team that publishes the annual Global Climate Change Indicators report, through which the state of the planet’s climate system is assessed. This report serves as a guide for other entities and organizations when establishing and taking action. It is intended that the countries that pollute the most take the initiative and put in the most effort to reduce emissions. In September, the United Nations will host the UNFCCC Climate Week in Addis Ababa, Africa, with the aim of supporting countries that are still working on their national climate plans.
Despite the fact that the G20 is responsible for 80% of global emissions, only 5 member countries have presented their energy plans for 2035: Canada, Japan, the United States, Brazil, and the United Kingdom. Moreover, only 10 of the contributions that have been made have truly strengthened the commitments to abandon the use of fossil fuels. These countries include the European Union, China, and India.
Worldwide commitment against climate change
There are many attempts being made by different countries to address the climate tragedy. Since 1992, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has been in progress. Next November 2025, COP 30 will be held, the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The main objective is to assess the progress made on climate change and to make decisions regarding it on a global scale.
It was expected that the 197 countries that make up the United Nations would present their updated national climate plans. These plans must align with the Paris International Agreement, in which the signatory countries committed to ensuring that global warming does not exceed 1.5ºC above pre-industrial levels. These plans are to be submitted in November at COP30, and to date, only 25 countries have submitted them: Somalia, Zambia, Zimbabwe. There are still 172 still to come.
Piers Foster´s annual report
The scientist Piers Forster leads the team that carries out and annually publishes the Global Climate Change Indicators report. This report is based on calculations of net CO2 emissions worldwide, how they concentrate in the atmosphere, and how they cause an increase in ground temperature. According to the 2024 report, human-caused global warming reached 1.36ºC, which has resulted in an increase in temperatures of 1.52ºC.
What is next?
There is no longer any margin for action to curb the consequences of climate change. That is why the implementation of national plans by different governments is essential. It is important that the plans are fair and equitable, meaning that those countries that have generated the most emissions should make the most efforts and propose more initiatives. Next September, the Climate Week of the UNFCCC will be held in Addis Ababa, Africa. Aside from the plans for COP30, the aim of the summit is to support those countries that have not yet completed their national plans against climate change.
Plans against climate change
It is important that all countries belonging to the United Nations and committed to COP30 develop their plans against climate change according to the specifications of the Paris Agreement. The reality is that only 10 of the plans submitted to date meet the necessary updates, committing to cease the use of fossil fuels. Scientists are hopeful that the countries yet to present their plans will develop them with ambition and credibility.
