Hybrid press briefing by Secretary General Antonio Guterres on the occasion of launching UNEP (UN Environment Programme) report "Making Peace With Nature" at UN Headquarters on February 18. Photo: VCG

Major economies will produce more than double the amount of coal, oil and gas in 2030 than is consistent with meeting climate goals set in the 2015 Paris accord to curb global warming, the UN and researchers said on Wednesday.

The UN Environment Programme's (UNEP) annual production gap report measures the difference between governments' planned production of fossil fuels and production levels which are consistent with meeting the temperature limits set in Paris.

Under the pact, nations have committed to a goal of limiting average temperature rises to less than 2 C above pre-industrial levels and to attempt to limit them even further to 1.5 C.

The report, which analyzed 15 major fossil fuel producers, found they plan to produce, in total, around 110 percent more fossil fuels in 2030 than would be consistent with limiting the degree of warming to 1.5 C, and 45 percent more than is consistent with 2 C.

The countries analyzed in the report were Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Norway, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, the UK, and the US.

Representatives from nearly 200 countries will meet in Glasgow, Scotland, from October 31 to November 12 for climate talks.

Despite efforts to strengthen climate targets, most major oil and gas producers plan to increase production until 2030 or beyond, while several major coal producers plan to continue or even increase output, the report said.

The plans of the 15 countries analyzed envisage fossil fuel production increasing until at least 2040.

This would lead to about 240 percent more coal, 57 percent more oil, and 71 percent more gas in 2030 than what is required in order to curb the rate of global warming to 1.5 C.

Of the three fuels, gas production is projected to increase the most between 2020 and 2040, based on the governments' plans.

The International Energy Agency said in May that investors should not fund new oil, gas and coal supply projects if the world is to hit net zero emissions by mid-century. 

"The research is clear: Global coal, oil, and gas production must start declining immediately and steeply to be consistent with limiting long-term warming to 1.5 C," said Ploy Achakulwisut, a lead author of the new report.

Reuters