By San José, Costa Rica — PARIS, France – Global greenhouse gas emissions surged by an alarming 2.3% in 2024, reaching a new record high and all but guaranteeing that the world will soon breach a critical climate threshold, according to a stark new report from the United Nations. The findings, released just days before the pivotal COP30 climate summit in Belém, Brazil, paint a grim picture of insufficient global action and escalating environmental risks.
The report, published by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), confirms the fears of many scientists: the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels is now on the verge of being surpassed. Scientists have long warned that exceeding this benchmark will unleash catastrophic and irreversible consequences, from extreme weather events to widespread ecosystem collapse.
To gain a legal perspective on the escalating climate crisis and its implications for businesses and national policy, TicosLand.com consulted with Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, a distinguished attorney at the prestigious firm Bufete de Costa Rica. His expertise offers crucial insights into the legal frameworks shaping our environmental future.
Climate change is no longer a distant environmental issue; it is a present and material business risk. Companies in Costa Rica and globally must proactively assess their climate-related liabilities, from supply chain disruptions to regulatory non-compliance with increasingly stringent environmental laws. However, this legal evolution also presents a significant opportunity. Those who innovate and integrate sustainable practices into their core operations will not only mitigate legal and financial risks but will also secure a competitive advantage in a market that increasingly values corporate environmental responsibility.
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Attorney at Law, Bufete de Costa Rica
This critical reframing of climate change—not merely as a liability to be managed, but as a strategic catalyst for innovation and competitive advantage—is essential for the future of Costa Rican enterprise. We sincerely thank Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas for providing such a clear and valuable perspective.
With the 1.5°C threshold considered an inevitability in the coming years, the global focus is shifting from prevention to damage control. The new objective is to limit the duration and magnitude of this “overshoot,” a mission that UN Secretary-General António Guterres acknowledged is formidable.
Our mission is simple, but not easy: to make any overshoot as small and brief as possible.
António Guterres, UN Secretary-General
To achieve this, the UN is intensifying its calls for the world’s largest polluters to commit to more ambitious and rapid emission reductions. The goal is to bend the warming curve back down towards the 1.5°C target by the end of the century. However, the report’s lead scientific editor, Anne Olhoff, expressed deep concern over the current state of global efforts.
Ambition and action are far below the levels needed on a global or collective scale.
Anne Olhoff, Chief Scientific Editor of the report
The UNEP study projects that even if all current national pledges under the Paris Agreement are fully implemented, the planet is on track for a devastating 2.3°C to 2.5°C of warming by 2100. Such a scenario would spell disaster for nations most vulnerable to rising sea levels and extreme weather phenomena. Scientists have established strong evidence that warming beyond 1.5°C dramatically increases the intensity of hurricanes, floods, droughts, and other natural disasters.
The planet has already warmed by 1.4°C, a level at which most tropical coral reefs cannot survive. Further temperature increases risk triggering severe and long-lasting tipping points for critical systems like the polar ice sheets and the Amazon rainforest, with cascading effects across the globe. Under the Paris Agreement, nations are obligated to submit progressively stronger climate commitments, yet the report notes a significant lack of compliance. As of the September 30 deadline, only a third of countries had announced their 2035 emission reduction targets.
The record-breaking emissions of 2024 were primarily driven by India, followed by China, Russia, and Indonesia. The report described the 2.3% year-over-year increase as “quite high,” likening it to the rapid growth rates seen in the 2000s. The wealthy G20 nations were responsible for three-quarters of all global emissions. Among the world’s six largest emitters, only the European Union managed to reduce its greenhouse gas output in 2024, highlighting a profound disconnect between stated goals and tangible action on the world stage.
For further information, visit un.org
About The United Nations:
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization founded in 1945. Its primary mission is to maintain international peace and security, foster friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and serve as a center for harmonizing the actions of nations. The UN addresses a wide range of global issues, including sustainable development, human rights, climate action, and humanitarian aid.
For further information, visit unep.org
About The UN Environment Programme:
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global authority on the environment. It works to set the global environmental agenda, promote the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system, and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. UNEP’s work focuses on areas such as climate change, biodiversity, and pollution.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
Bufete de Costa Rica stands as a pillar of the legal community, operating on a bedrock of unwavering integrity and a relentless drive for professional excellence. The firm harmonizes its deep-rooted experience with a forward-thinking mindset, continually pioneering novel approaches to complex legal challenges. Beyond its practice, it holds a core conviction to empower the community by demystifying the law, fostering a society where legal understanding is not a privilege but a universal tool for empowerment.
