A new report out from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) warns that the world must take urgent and dramatic steps to cut emissions by a further 25% from predicted 2030 levels if the world is to stay within the Paris Agreement target of well below 2℃ of global warming, UNEP News Centre reports.

Released the day before the Paris Agreement enters into force, UNEP’s annual Gap Emissions Report finds that predicted 2030 emissions will put the world on track for 2.9 to 3.4 degrees of warming this century, even if the Paris Agreement commitments are fully implemented as promised.

“We are moving in the right direction: the Paris Agreement will slow climate change, as will the recent Kigali Amendment to reduce HFCs,” said Erik Solheim, head of UN Environment. “They both show strong commitment, but it’s still not good enough if we are to stand a chance of avoiding serious climate change.

“If we don’t start taking additional action now, beginning with the upcoming climate meeting in Marrakesh, we will grieve over the avoidable human tragedy. The growing numbers of climate refugees hit by hunger, poverty, illness and conflict will be a constant reminder of our failure to deliver. The science shows that we need to move much faster.”