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🇰🇷 South Korea /Environment & Climate

UN Says 1.5°C Warming Limit Is Now Unavoidable, Calls for Net-Negative Emissions

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Explainer Official statement New plan
  • The UN Environment Programme said global warming will likely exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels within the next few years.
  • Its most optimistic scenario projects peak warming of 1.8°C, while current policies point to 2.6°C.
  • The agency said countries should pursue net-negative emissions to bring warming back to 1.5°C or below by the end of the century.

The United Nations has acknowledged that the world is likely to cross the 1.5°C warming threshold within the next few years, effectively moving the climate goal from preventing an overshoot to managing one.

The UN Environment Programme said in a new report that even its most optimistic scenario projects peak warming of 1.8°C during the 21st century. Under current climate policies, warming is projected to reach 2.6°C. The Paris Agreement, signed by 196 parties in 2015, called for efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels because of the dangers associated with higher temperatures.

Even though global warming is set to cross 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, likely within the next few years, the goal remains limiting warming to this level.

· Inger AndersenThe UNEP executive director said the temperature goal remains in place despite the expected overshoot.

Current warming has reached about 1.4°C compared with 1850-1900, driven by fossil fuel combustion and other factors. Although temperatures in 2024 exceeded 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, experts have not formally determined that the Paris target has been breached because the threshold uses a 20-year average.

However, the goal must now be approached from above while the world adapts to intensifying climate impacts.

· Inger AndersenAndersen described the revised approach after the anticipated threshold crossing.

UNEP now says countries must go beyond carbon neutrality. Once temperatures overshoot 1.5°C, they should reduce greenhouse gas emissions enough to bring warming back to 1.5°C or below by the end of the century, requiring net-negative emissions. Finland, Germany, Sweden and Denmark have pledged to reach net-negative emissions by or around 2050, with Finland aiming for that status after 2035.

“Even though global warming is set to cross 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, likely within the next few years, the goal remains limiting warming to this level,” UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen said. “However, the goal must now be approached from above while the world adapts to intensifying climate impacts.” She added that countries with greater historical responsibility should act fastest and with the greatest ambition.

Countries with greater historical responsibility for climate change should act the fastest and with the greatest ambition.

· Inger AndersenShe called for stronger action from historically higher-emitting countries.
About this summary

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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