Climate target missed: grade 6

Published on: May 6, 2021 / Update from: May 6, 2021 - Author: Konrad Wolfenstein

World misses Paris climate target – Image: Ofenhesse|Shutterstock.com

Climate target missed: grade 6

Current targets and promises from governments around the world to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are not enough to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. According to researchers, global warming would be 2.4 degrees Celsius at the end of the century compared to pre-industrial times. This is shown by the graphic based on the current forecast from the Climate Action Tracker (CAT) analysis project. If the goals and promises were not implemented and the status quo remained, the global average temperature in 2100 would even be +2.9 degrees Celsius. In an optimistic scenario with increased climate protection efforts, global warming would still be two degrees.

A high concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere limits the escape of heat radiated from the Earth into space. The result: temperatures on earth are rising. Global warming can be measured, among other things, by the anomalies in global average continental temperatures. Temperature anomalies are temperature deviations that are measured against calculated long-term temperature averages.

The forecast is based on data from 32 countries, which together are responsible for around 80% of global emissions. The CAT is created by the New Climate Institute and Climate Analytics as well as the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). The website was launched in November 2009. The CAT is financed by the European Climate Foundation. Results of the CAT are published, among other things, in scientific journals.

World misses Paris climate target

Current targets and promises by governments worldwide to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are not enough to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. According to researchers, global warming at the end of the century would then be 2.4 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times. This is shown in the graphic based on the current forecast of the Climate Action Tracker (CAT) analysis project. If the targets and pledges were not implemented and the status quo remained, the average global temperature in 2100 would even be +2.9 degrees Celsius. Under an optimistic scenario with increased climate change mitigation efforts, global warming would still be two degrees.

A high concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere restricts the escape of heat radiated from the Earth into space. As a result, temperatures on Earth are rising. Global warming can be measured, among other things, by the anomalies of the global average continental temperatures. Temperature anomalies are deviations of the temperature, which are measured at calculated long-term average temperature values.

The forecast is based on data from 32 countries, which together are responsible for around 80% of global emissions. The CAT is produced by the New Climate Institute and Climate Analytics and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). Launched in November 2009, the CAT is funded by the European Climate Foundation. The results of the CAT are published in scientific journals, among other publications.

World misses Paris climate target – Image: Statista