Global warming is expected to exceed the threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius (°C) above pre-industrial levels in the coming years, but it remains possible to limit and temporarily reverse that overshoot, according to a new report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released on Wednesday, 2 July.
The document states that, despite the current trajectory, opportunities remain to constrain global warming and bring the world closer to the targets established by the Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015.
The agreement aims to limit the increase in average global temperature to below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and, preferably, to 1.5°C.
"We must make the overshoot as small and as short as possible, limiting the rise in temperatures and the time they remain above 1.5°C," said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, quoted in a statement. To achieve that objective, Guterres called for an acceleration of the energy transition through the phased elimination of fossil fuels, the expansion of renewable energy, the reduction of methane emissions, and the protection of forests, soils, and oceans.
The report warns, however, that emissions reductions must be accompanied by adaptation measures capable of limiting the effects of the climate crisis on the most vulnerable populations and ecosystems. According to UNEP, once the 1.5°C threshold is breached, the impacts of climate change could worsen "with every fraction of a degree" of additional warming.
Among the projected consequences are increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, the destruction of ecosystems, rising sea levels, and the risk of inundation for Small Island Developing States and low-lying coastal cities. The organisation also warns of serious consequences for human health, food security, water availability, and ecosystem stability.
Rising temperatures also increase the risk of triggering potentially irreversible tipping points, including the loss of portions of the West Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets and the degradation of the Amazon rainforest.
To address the threat, the report recommends a strategy built on three simultaneous fronts: immediate response, adaptation, and long-term resilience containment and reinforcement.
In an initial phase, greenhouse gas emissions must be rapidly reduced with the objective of reaching net-zero emissions, while urgent adaptation measures are implemented to protect the communities and ecosystems most exposed to climate impacts.
Among the consequences are increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, the destruction of ecosystems, rising sea levels, and the risk of inundation for Small Island Developing States and low-lying coastal cities.
The report also deems it necessary to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in order to achieve net-negative emissions. Conventional methods include reforestation and ecosystem restoration, while technological alternatives include direct air carbon capture and storage.
UNEP argues that responding to the climate crisis requires political will, multilateral cooperation, effective policies, inclusive governance, and adequate financing, underscoring that equity and justice must guide decision-making.
The report concludes that countries bearing the greatest historical responsibility for climate change and possessing the greatest financial and technological capacity to address it must act more swiftly and ambitiously. At the same time, countries disproportionately affected by the climate crisis must have a seat at the decision-making table and see their needs reflected in international responses.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/2026/09/03/mundo-en/onu-alerta-aquecimento-global-devera-ultrapassar-15-graus-celsius-mas-ainda-pode-ser-contido/
