World must cut emissions by 18% in four years ‘to find our way back’, UN says
A UN Environment Programme report warns that global carbon emissions must fall by nearly 20% over the next four years and 45% within a decade to prevent a disastrous overshoot of climate targets. Analysts note that while the 1.5C target window has closed, limiting further temperature increases is still technically possible if countries translate long-term goals into immediate action.
Why it matters
It underscores the widening gap between national climate pledges and current policy implementation, warning of increasingly severe weather extremes if rapid emission cuts are missed.
Global temperatures are forecast to rise to 2.8C above preindustrial levels if current government policies around the world remain unchanged. Global temperatures are forecast to rise to 2.8C above preindustrial levels if current government policies around the world remain unchanged. Climate crisis World must cut emissions by 18% in four years ‘to find our way back’, UN says Action needed to avoid disastrous overshoot of climate targets, according to organisation’s environment body
Prefer the Guardian on Google The world needs to cut carbon emissions by nearly a fifth in the next four years, and by close to half within a decade, to avoid overshooting climate targets by a disastrous margin.
Although the “window has closed” on holding temperature rises to 1.5C , in line with scientific advice, limiting the “overshoot” of that target is still possible, according to the UN Environment Programme (Unep).
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in