The average temperature at the Earth’s surface has risen about 1.1C since 1850. Greenhouse gases – which trap the Sun’s heat – are the crucial link between temperature rise and human activities. The most important is carbon dioxide (CO2), because of its abundance in the atmosphere. The impacts that we are experiencing now at around a 1.2°C rise in average temperature are forerunners of rapidly escalating risks as global temperatures rise towards 2°C and beyond. Time is rapidly running out for humanity to avoid the extremely serious risks of a 2°C or warmer world. 

Every fraction of a degree of avoided warming matters, and will be measured in lives, species and ecosystems lost or saved. We must do everything possible to deeply and rapidly cut our emissions, while also preparing for climate impacts that can no longer be avoided. Addressing global warming requires global efforts to reduce emissions, transition to renewable energy sources, and implement sustainable practices to mitigate its impact.