Fuel Plans Won't Meet Climate 10/20 06:32

   The world needs to cut by more than half its production of coal, oil and gas 
in the coming decade to maintain a chance of keeping global warming from 
reaching dangerous levels, according to a U.N.-backed study released Wednesday.

   LONDON (AP) -- The world needs to cut by more than half its production of 
coal, oil and gas in the coming decade to maintain a chance of keeping global 
warming from reaching dangerous levels, according to a U.N.-backed study 
released Wednesday.

   The report published by the U.N. Environment Program found that while 
governments have made ambitious pledges to curb greenhouse gas emissions, they 
are still planning to extract double the amount of fossil fuels in 2030 than 
what would be consistent with the 2015 Paris climate accord's goal of keeping 
the global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit).

   Even the less ambitious goal of capping global warming at 2 degrees C (3.6 
degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of the century compared to pre-industrial times 
would be overshot, it said.

   Climate experts say the world must stop adding to the total amount of 
greenhouse gas in the atmosphere by 2050, and that can only be done by 
drastically reducing the burning of fossil fuels as soon as possible, among 
other measures.

   The report, which was released days before a U.N. climate summit begins Oct. 
31 in Glasgow, found most major oil and gas producers -- and even some major 
coal producers -- are planning on increasing production until 2030 or even 
beyond.

   It also concluded that the group of 20 major industrialized and emerging 
economies have invested more into new fossil fuel projects than into clean 
energy since the start of 2020.

   The disparity between climate goals and fossil fuel extraction plans -- 
termed the "production gap" -- will widen until at least 2040, the report found.

   This would require increasingly steep and extreme measures to meet the Paris 
emissions goal, UNEP said.

   "There is still time to limit long term warming to 1.5C, but this window of 
opportunity is rapidly closing," said the agency's executive director, Inger 
Andersen, adding that governments should commit to closing the gap at the 
Glasgow climate summit.

   The report, which had more than 40 researchers contributing, examine 15 
major fossil fuel-producing countries.

   For the United States, they found that government projections show oil and 
gas production increasing to 17% and 12%, respectively, by 2030 compared to 
2019 levels. Much of that would be exported, meaning the emissions from burning 
those fossil fuels would not show up in the U.S. inventory although they would 
add to the global total.

   U.S. coal production is projected to decline by 30% over the coming decade 
compared to 2019.

   Costa Rica's environment and energy minister said the report shows the need 
to stop extracting fossil fuels to meet the Paris goals.

   "We must cut with both hands of the scissors, addressing demand and supply 
of fossil fuels simultaneously," Andrea Meza said.

   Costa Rica and Denmark are planning to launch a new group at the Glasgow 
summit, the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance, to promote that effort.