In 2024, the world crossed a line we swore we would never breach.
For the first time, global temperatures exceeded the critical 1.5-degree Celsius mark set by the Paris Agreement.
A new report by the United Nations Environment Programme, Limiting Overshoot, urges the global community to accept the unavoidable reality that we will surpass the 1.5°C global warming threshold.
The report delivers a stark wake-up call, breaching 1.5 degrees, in coming years, is our new reality. To survive, we must navigate an “overshoot, peak, and decline” pathway.
Think of it like a fever. First, we overshoot, temporarily exceeding the 1.5-degree limit. Second, we must peak the temperature, ideally keeping this fever below 2 degree Celsius and as short-lived as possible. Though under current climate policies, median projected global warming reaches around 2.6°C by year 2100. Finally, we decline, bringing temperatures back down by achieving net-zero, slashing greenhouse gases like methane, and actively removing carbon from the atmosphere.
The consequences are not merely future projections but are catastrophic realities unfolding right now.