Humanity has failed to keep global warming below 1.5°C

Anadolu Agency

The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, warned on Tuesday that humanity has failed to limit global warming to 1.5°C and must take urgent action.

Guterres emphasised that it is now “inevitable” that the Paris Agreement target will be exceeded, with potentially “devastating consequences” for the world. Speaking ahead of the COP30 climate summit in Belem, Brazil, he urged leaders to act quickly, warning that delays increase the risk of crossing critical “tipping points” in the Amazon, the Arctic, and the oceans.

“Let us acknowledge our failure. We have not succeeded in keeping warming below 1.5°C in the coming years. Exceeding this threshold will have devastating consequences, including tipping points in the Amazon, Greenland, western Antarctica, and coral reefs,” Guterres said.

The UN chief highlighted that the main goal of COP30 is to change course and minimise the duration and extent of exceeding the 1.5°C limit to prevent irreversible damage. He added: “We do not want to see the Amazon turn into a savannah, but that is a real risk if we do not dramatically reduce emissions as soon as possible.”

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