A new United Nations report says renewable energy and climate policies have delivered tangible emission reductions, but current efforts remain insufficient to meet the Paris Agreement temperature goals, calling for accelerated action.
The Emissions Gap Report 2026, released by the UN Environment Program on Wednesday, finds that between 2016 and 2025, greenhouse gas emissions fell in 63 countries or regions, while power sector emissions declined in 90 countries or regions.
Of 69 instances of significant emission reductions between 2000 and 2020, 63 occurred within two years of new or strengthened climate policies.
Emission reduction efforts remain insufficient
The report stresses that global emission reduction efforts remain insufficient and global greenhouse gas emissions have yet to peak. If current policies continue, there is a 66 percent chance that global average temperatures will rise by less than 2.8 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century, and temperatures will continue to rise thereafter.
If all Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are fully implemented and similar efforts are sustained, warming is expected to be limited to within 2.6 degrees Celsius.
The report notes that these projections have worsened compared with the previous year, mainly due to U.S.withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and its decision not to submit an NDC, as well as revised estimates of historical emissions.
Renewable energy deployment has prevented a large increase in global carbon dioxide emissions, with solar and wind contributing 4.1 billion tonnes of reductions in 2025.
Global renewable electricity capacity additions from 2013 to 2025 were three times the 2015 forecast, with solar PV seven times higher.
The report highlights China’s industrial decarbonization, noting that coordinated climate, energy, environmental and industrial policies over the past decade have slowed emissions growth.
It calls on countries to accelerate effective policies and pursue deep, sustained emission cuts in line with national conditions.