U.N.: World set to warm by 3.1 C without urgent global climate action

A United Nations report states that current climate policies will lead to global warming of over 3 degrees Celsius by the end of the century, exceeding the 1.5 degrees Celsius agreed upon in the Paris Agreement. The Emissions Gap report finds that the world may face up to 3.1 degrees Celsius of warming above preindustrial levels by 2100 if governments do not take greater action. Global greenhouse gas emissions rose by 1.3% between 2022 and 2023, reaching a new high of 57.1 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. The report notes that under current pledges, temperatures would still rise between 2.6 and 2.8 degrees Celsius by 2100. UN Secretary General António Guterres warned that the world is "teetering on a planetary tight rope" and that leaders must bridge the emissions gap to prevent climate disaster. The world has currently warmed by about 1.3 degrees Celsius, and nations will gather at the COP29 climate summit in Azerbaijan to work on transitioning away from fossil fuels. The report suggests that nations must collectively commit to a 42% cut in yearly greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and 57% by 2035 to prevent warming beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius. However, this target is now seen as likely out of reach. Inger Andersen, executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme, urged countries to increase action in their Nationally Determined Contributions during the Baku talks. The report emphasizes that every fraction of a degree avoided counts in preventing climate disaster.