Japan’s new proposals for fighting climate change have been described as “feeble” and “shameful”, after the country revealed it would not be updating its current target for cutting emissions.

In accordance with the Paris Agreement, all countries are expected to submit new or revised plans this year for curbing greenhouse gas emissions and keeping global warming below 2C.

But under current national targets, the global temperature is likely to rise beyond that limit within the next 10 years, according to UN scientists, who have warned that the world is facing an “avoidable human tragedy”.

Despite rising pressure for governments to increase their ambition in tackling climate change, Japan’s carbon targets, announced on Monday and known as its “nationally determined contribution”, remain unchanged from its commitments made five years ago for the Paris accord.

The country is continuing to target a 26 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030 – a figure that is rated as “highly insufficient” by the Climate Action Tracker analysis.

Climate change: Decade's defining issue in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Climate change: Decade's defining issue in pictures Climate change: Decade's defining issue in pictures California In this decade, humans have become ever more aware of climate change. Calls for leaders to act echo around the globe as the signs of a changing climate become ever more difficult to ignore Getty Climate change: Decade's defining issue in pictures Athens, Greece Fierce wildfires have flared up in numerous countries. The damage being caused is unprecedented: 103 people were killed in wildfires last year in California, one of the places best prepared, best equipped to fight such blazes in the world AFP/Getty Climate change: Decade's defining issue in pictures Redding, California Entire towns have been razed. The towns of Redding and Paradise in California were all but eliminated in the 2018 season AP Climate change: Decade's defining issue in pictures Athens, Greece While wildfires in Greece (pictured), Australia, Indonesia and many other countries have wrought chaos to infrastructure, economies and cost lives AFP/Getty Climate change: Decade's defining issue in pictures Carlisle, England In Britain, flooding has become commonplace. Extreme downpours in Carlisle in the winter of 2015 saw the previous record flood level being eclipsed by two feet AFP/Getty Climate change: Decade's defining issue in pictures Hebden Bridge, England Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire has flooded repeatedly in the past decade, with the worst coming on Christmas Day 2015. Toby Smith of Climate Visuals, an organisation focused on improving how climate change is depicted in the media, says: "Extreme weather and flooding, has and will become more frequent due to climate change. 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Ethiopia recently planted a reported 350 million trees in a single day AFP/Getty Climate change: Decade's defining issue in pictures Morocco Morocco has undertaken the most ambitious solar power scheme in the world, recently completing a solar plant the size of San Francisco AFP/Getty Climate change: Decade's defining issue in pictures London, England Electric cars are taking off as a viable alternative to fossil fuel burning vehicles and major cities across the world are adding charging points to accomodate AFP/Getty Climate change: Decade's defining issue in pictures Purmerend, The Netherlands Cities around the world are embracing cycling too, as a clean (and healthy) mode of transport. 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There have been numerous major oil spills this decade, the most notable being the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 AFP/Getty Climate change: Decade's defining issue in pictures Amazon rainforest, Brazil More recently, large swathes of the Amazon rainforest were set alight by people to clear land for agriculture AFP/Getty Climate change: Decade's defining issue in pictures California This decade may have seen horrors but it has led to an understanding that the next decade must see change if human life is to continue Getty

Japan says it will pursue further efforts in the medium and long term, and is aiming for a “decarbonised society” as early as possible in the second half of the century.

Laurance Tubiana, chief executive of the European Climate Foundation and one of the key architects of the Paris Agreement, urged the Japanese government to reconsider its ”disappointing” proposals and adopt a more “ambitious” stance.

“The EU, UK, China and South Korea are moving towards a new – low carbon – economy,” she said. “If Japan doesn’t move, it will lose out in the high-tech race of this century.

“At one of the most challenging times of recent memory, we need bolder, mutually reinforcing plans that protect our societies from the global risks we all face.”

Japan is the first major economy from the G7 group to produce updated plans ahead of a vital United Nations climate conference, “Cop26”, which is set to take place in Glasgow in November.

The UK is hoping to drive moves towards ambitious international action in the build-up to the talks, though foreign secretary Dominic Raab has warned the meeting may have to be delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Addressing the Japanese proposals, a spokeswoman for the UK government said: “We are clear on the need for increased ambition from all countries, particularly from G7 partners.

“We hope to see a further submission that includes an increase in Japan’s headline target ahead of Cop26.”

Concerns have also been raised that countries will use the coronavirus pandemic, and the economic fallout it has triggered, to justify a step back from the commitments of the Paris Agreement.

“Japan should not slow down climate actions even amid the Covid-19 global fights, and must revisit and strengthen this plan swiftly in order to be in line with the Paris agreement,” said Kimiko Hirata, international director of the Kiko Network, a climate group in Japan.

Christian Aid’s global climate lead, Dr Kat Kramer, said: “Japan’s feeble and unchanged national climate commitment is an international disgrace.

“The fact they are smuggling it out during a global pandemic when it will avoid the scrutiny it deserves is shameful.”

Japan is a rich country with resources and the historic responsibility to make big strides to decarbonise its economy, she added. “Yet it has utterly failed to enhance its highly insufficient pledge, that will only compound the misery of people on the front line of the climate crisis who need countries like Japan to act with urgency to do its fair share in addressing the climate crisis.”

Emissions throughout 2019 were 4 per cent higher than those recorded in 2015, when the Paris Agreement was first negotiated. Under current levels, the world is not on track to meet the climate deal’s targets.