On this issue Gunnar Luderer who is one of the roughly 20 authors of the report and a Senior Scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research:
"There is still a tremendous gap between words and deeds, between the targets agreed by governments worldwide to stabilize our climate and the measures to achieve these goals. Global emissions of greenhouse gases continue to rise, and so do climate risks. Only a rapid turnaround can help here: emissions must be reduced by a quarter by 2030 in order to keep the world on track for limiting warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius - for 1.5° emissions would even have to be halved. Germany and Europe could demonstrate leadership in this area by pledging complete greenhouse gas neutrality by 2050 and a clear strengthening of the emission reduction targets for 2030."
On this issue Brigitte Knopf who is one of the roughly 20 authors and Secretary General of the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change:
"In addition to the emissions gap we must also talk about the 'policy gap' in the implementation. A green fiscal reform for the low-carbon transition - including phasing out fossil fuel subsidies and putting a price on carbon - would be a cornerstone for closing this gap and fulfilling the Paris Agreement. Carbon pricing revenues could be used to lower other taxes, to invest in sustainable infrastructure or to compensate poorer households. At present, however, half of the energy emissions are unpriced, with no taxation at all. This policy gap must be closed quickly - otherwise the Paris climate targets will be out of reach."
Weblink to the report: www.unenvironment.org/resources/emissions-gap-report-2018
