UN Warns 1.5°C Global Warming Limit Breach Inevitable as Climate Action Falls Short

As global warming surpasses the 1.5°C threshold, the world faces a critical risk of being "derailed" in its climate action efforts due to worsening climate impacts like floods and droughts that divert attention from emission reductions, warns a study led by the University of Exeter. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has acknowledged that overshooting the 1.5°C target set by the Paris Agreement is now inevitable, with devastating consequences including tipping points in the Amazon, Arctic, and coral reefs. Ahead of the COP30 climate summit in Brazil, Guterres stressed the urgent need for swift and ambitious action to limit the extent and duration of this overshoot, despite current national climate action plans collectively projecting only a 10-17% emission reduction by 2035, far below the 60% needed. The failure to meet the 1.5°C target stems from insufficient and delayed climate commitments from major nations, including the US under President Trump withdrawing and dismantling prior plans, and the lack of submissions from China and the EU. The Pacific region highlights the dire consequences of this overshoot, with irreversible damage already evident, and calls for global leaders to urgently change course to prevent further tipping points and catastrophic impacts. To avoid derailment, the study recommends building capabilities such as situational awareness, resilience, and competent governance to maintain focus on rapid decarbonization amidst escalating climate crises.