UN Chief Confirms 1.5°C Global Warming Limit Will Be Exceeded, Calls for Urgent Climate Action Ahead of COP30
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres confirms the inevitable breach of the 1.5°C warming limit and urges ambitious climate action and financing ahead of COP30 in Brazil.
- • U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres confirms that limiting warming below 1.5°C is no longer feasible in the coming years.
- • Current global temperatures have risen 1.4°C above pre-industrial levels.
- • Guterres calls for bold national climate plans and $1.3 trillion per year financing by 2035 for developing countries.
- • COP30 in Brazil faces the challenge of uniting nations amid setbacks like the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.
Key details
During a recent address at the World Meteorological Organization in Geneva, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres acknowledged the unavoidable surpassing of the 1.5°C global warming threshold above pre-industrial levels. He highlighted that current global temperatures have already risen by 1.4°C, citing data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service. Guterres warned that while maintaining warming below 1.5°C is no longer feasible in the near term, this target remains crucial to mitigating severe climate impacts as outlined by the IPCC.
Emphasizing the urgency, he called upon governments worldwide to implement ambitious national climate action plans and establish a credible financing strategy mobilizing $1.3 trillion annually by 2035, specifically to support developing countries. The upcoming COP30 summit, scheduled for November 10–21 in Belem, Brazil, faces the challenge of reinvigorating international climate cooperation amid setbacks such as the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.
Guterres also stressed combating climate misinformation, reacting to dismissive statements about climate science by figures like former U.S. President Donald Trump. He underscored renewable energy as the fastest and most affordable solution to halt climate destruction, positioning it at the center of future efforts to limit global warming.
The evolving climate scenario presents a complex backdrop for COP30, demanding bold political leadership and substantial financial commitments to address the accelerating climate crisis effectively.