THINGS FALL APART

THE WORLD HAS MADE PROGRESS IN MITIGATING EMISSIONS AND ADAPTING TO CLIMATE IMPACTS. BUT THE PROGRESS REMAINS GROSSLY INADEQUATE

- ROHINI KRISHNAMURTHY AND AKSHIT SANGOMLA

NO MORE hot air ... please!" "Come hell and high water." Such snarky titles are unusual for UN documents. But the titles of the latest editions of the UN Environment Programme's (UNEP's) two annual publications― the Emissions Gap report and the Adaptation Gap report-reflect the global frustration with climate affairs. Released ahead of the UN climate change conference in Baku, Azerbaijan (coP29), that began on November 11, the reports not only offer a grim look at the planet's future but also reveal the lax efforts by countries to reduce their emissions and meet climate goals.