World heading for ‘irrevocable overshoot’ of global temperature thresholds, analysis warns

Key Points:

• Analysis by Climate Action Tracker (CAT) warns that current policies will lead to a 2.7°C rise in global temperatures by the end of the century, far exceeding the 1.5°C target agreed a decade ago and risking catastrophic climate impacts for billions.
• The 1.5°C threshold is expected to be breached within a few years, leading to severe storms, droughts, heatwaves, and potential runaway climate change, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres urging urgent action to phase out fossil fuels.
• Even if all current climate pledges and targets are fully met, warming is projected to reach 1.9°C by 2100, highlighting the gap between commitments and actual emissions reductions.
• Despite some positive signs such as increased clean energy investment, rising electric vehicle use, and reduced Amazon deforestation, many countries, including the US, Canada, and New Zealand, are slowing their climate efforts, risking further overshoot.
• Climate advocates like Greta Thunberg emphasize the urgency of the crisis, warning that governments are not moving quickly enough to prevent disastrous outcomes and that every fraction of a degree in temperature rise matters.