By Kate Abnett

GLASGOW, (Reuters) – The U.N. Climate Conference in Glasgow has received the latest national climate pledges. These are far higher than safe levels and would result in global warming of around 2.4° Celsius this century.

Climate Action Tracker, a research group that monitors climate change and is part of the Climate Action Coalition (CAT), stated that despite countries’ promises to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, the Earth will still heat beyond what the United Nations has set for 2100.

“Even with all new Glasgow pledges for 2030, we will emit roughly twice as much in 2030 as required for 1.5°C,” it said, referring to the aspirational goal for warming since pre-industrial levels set down in the 2015 Paris Agreement.

All governments must reexamine their goals.

According to CAT, warming can be controlled to just 1.8C in an “optimistic situation” when some countries achieve their longer-term goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by stopping them from increasing. This was in line with an International Energy Agency analysis that took place last week.

CAT cautioned against assuming that longer-term promises would be fulfilled. However, most countries haven’t yet implemented short-term legislation or policies necessary to move forward with those goals.

“It’s all very well for leaders to claim they have a net zero target, but if they have no plans as to how to get there, and their 2030 targets are as low as so many of them are, then frankly, these ‘net zero’ targets are just lip service to real climate action,” said Bill Hare, CEO of Climate Analytics, one of the organisations behind the CAT.

According to CAT: The world would heat up by 2.7C under “business as usual” without any new pledges.

All possible scenarios could exceed 1.5C, the limit scientists believe the world needs to meet in order to prevent the most severe effects of climate changes. Scientists have stated that global greenhouse gas emissions, mainly carbon dioxide from burning oil, coal and gas, must drop 45% between 2010 and 2030 to avoid the worst effects of climate change. They also need to reach zero net by 2050.

CAT reported that nearly 90% of global emission reductions are covered currently by a net-zero target. However, “vast majority”, of the country’s climate plans for next decade, are incompatible with long-term net-zero targets.