An international report released today points out that climate change is affecting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations (UN), stating that only 15% of the 2030 Agenda targets are on track.

Entitled 'United in Science', the report, drawn up by international agencies and coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), looks at the impact of climate change and extreme weather, addressing how science related to climate and water can advance goals such as food and water security, clean energy, better health, sustainable oceans and resilient cities.

Meanwhile, at a press conference, quoted by Lusa, UN Secretary General António Guterres regretted that 2023 had shown "all too clearly" that climate change "is here", stressing that rising temperatures are having serious consequences on land and sea, as well as the increased occurrence of extreme weather events.

"We know that this is only the beginning and that the global response is falling short. Meanwhile, halfway to the 2030 deadline for the SDGs, the world is woefully off track," warned Guterres, who added that science is "fundamental" to the solutions needed to make progress towards the goals.

According to the document, between 1970 and 2021 around 12,000 disasters were reported due to extreme weather, climate and water phenomena, resulting in more than two million deaths and 4.3 billion dollars in damage. More than 90% of the deaths and 60% of the economic losses occurred in developing economies.

WMO Secretary General Petteri Taalas said that the scientific community is united, stressing that technological development - such as high-resolution climate models or artificial intelligence - can boost the achievement of the SDGs and that "Early Warning for All 2027" - an initiative launched last year by António Guterres - will save lives.

The report also explains how weather forecasts help to increase food production and reduce hunger, while the integration of epidemiology and climate information helps to anticipate climate-sensitive diseases, while early warning systems can alleviate poverty, with people having the opportunity to prepare for the impacts.

The likelihood of the global average near-surface temperature temporarily exceeding 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels [the limit beyond which the impacts of climate change could be catastrophic] in one of the next five years is already 66%, argues the document, which also states that global greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced by 45% to limit warming to 1.5 degrees by 2030 and that carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions must approach zero by 2050.

In this context, the executive director of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), Inger Andersen, argued that science continues to show that "not enough is being done" to meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement on reducing emissions.

"As the world prepares for the first global stocktake at COP28, we must increase our ambition and action, and we must all do what we can. Real work to transform our economies through a just transition to a sustainable future for people and the planet," he concluded.