Overshooting 1.5C risks 'irreversible' climate impact: study

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🗞️ Driving the news: A new study warns that even temporarily surpassing the 1.5°C global warming threshold could cause irreversible climate impacts, such as long-term sea level rises and the thawing of carbon-rich permafrost
• The study stresses that overshooting this limit would not deliver the same outcomes as preventing it altogether

🔭 The context: The 1.5°C target, established by the Paris Agreement, is slipping out of reach as global emissions continue to rise
• Existing climate pledges point to nearly 3°C of warming by 2100, far beyond what is considered safe for the planet

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Exceeding 1.5°C could trigger tipping points with lasting impacts for centuries, including devastating consequences for low-lying island nations and global ecosystems

⏭️ What's next: To avoid these irreversible changes, emissions must be cut drastically by 2030, and net zero must be achieved by 2050
• Massive scaling of carbon removal technologies will also be needed if overshoot occurs

💬 One quote: “Even if you brought temperatures back down again, the world... is not the same as if you didn't overshoot" - Carl-Friedrich Schleussner, the study's lead author

📈 One stat: Existing climate pledges would result in nearly 3°C of warming by 2100, according to the UN

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