UN assessment finds nations delaying crucial climate action: global synthesis report 

Only 64 of 195 parties to the Paris Agreement have updated their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) in an effort  to limit global temperature rise. China and India have yet to formally submit their updates, while doubts loom over whether the US will honour commitments made under the previous administration, HT reported. 

The newspaper explained that even the limited submissions, covering just 30% of global emissions in 2019, project that global emissions will fall by around 10% by 2035 — a significant shift in direction but far short of the 57% reduction needed to limit warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

The Guardian noted that “China and the EU have announced but not yet officially submitted their plans. It adds: “China’s pledge to cut its carbon output by between 7% and 10% of its peak by 2035 was widely denounced as too weak, while the EU has been squabbling over its commitment to a possible range of 62% to 72.5% within the decade.”

The Washington Post said the analysis “includes a US plan submitted in the final weeks of the Biden administration that president Donald Trump has said he has no intention of fulfilling”

Developing countries will need at least $310bn a year by 2030 to fight climate crisis

Developing countries need over $310 billion of adaptation finance (money to lessen impacts of climate change) annually by 2035 , 12 times the current international public adaptation finance flows, the Adaptation Gap Report 2025: ‘Running on Empty’ has warned. 

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said: “This is not just a funding gap, it is a failure of global solidarity. It is measured in flooded homes, failed harvests, derailed development – and lost lives. As the climate crisis deepens and costs climb, the world must move much faster to match rising needs.”

HT cited the UN report saying “International public adaptation finance flows to developing countries were $26 billion in 2023, down from $28 billion the previous year. This leaves an adaptation finance gap of $284-339 billion per year – 12 to 14 times as much as current flows” 

The newspaper explained that based on needs expressed in Nationally Determined Contributions (emission reduction targets) and National Adaptation Plans, the adaptation finance needed rises to $365 billion a year. If current trends in financing do not turn around quickly, the Glasgow Climate Pact goal (during the COP26 climate conference) of doubling international public adaptation finance from 2019 levels to approximately $40 billion by 2025 will not be achieved, the outlet said. 

During COP29 in Baku, a New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) of $300 billion per year by 2035 was announced for climate action in developing countries. However, this financing target includes both mitigation and adaptation and is clearly insufficient to close the finance gap, HT noted. 

State of Climate Action Report: Record clean-energy investments still inadequate to check temperature rise. Upcoming COP 30 must address it

The past 10 years have been the hottest on record. It’s also been a decade since the countries signed the 2015 Paris climate agreement, but the world is moving at a slower pace than required to achieve the landmark treaty’s goals, says the State of Climate Action Report, IE reported. “Coal use registered a record high in 2024, even as the share of the fossil fuel in the energy mix went down appreciably. Although renewables produced more than 50% of the electricity generated in the first half of 2025, the increasing use of coal means that the world is nowhere close to containing the long-term temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels — the Paris Pact’s fundamental objective,” the newspaper noted.

The report said the impact of Trump’s policy on GHG emissions is yet to surface but according to the IPCC, GHG emissions should have nearly peaked by now in order to attain the 1.5°C target but they have shown very little sign of slowing down, making the past 10 years the hottest on record.

In 2024, clean energy investments grew to almost double the investments in fossil fuels. But according to The International Energy Agency (IEA) current investments in clean energy are not high enough to neutralise effects of fossil fuel investments.

About The Author

Editorial Team

A team of handpicked and dedicated writers committed to fact check each climate-related statement. Go to the roots and intent of each policy implemented, internationally and at home to help you understand climate better

See author's posts