Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, warned in a report that global commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are dangerously far from the goals of the Paris Agreement, pushing the world towards a temperature increase of 2.6 degrees Celsius by the end of this century.
The Gap Between Rhetoric and Action
The annual "Emissions Gap" report, published by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), clearly illustrates the gap between words and actions in the fight against global warming. This report highlights the challenges facing political leaders at the COP31 summit to be held in November.
Even if countries fully comply with their new climate commitments, global temperatures could rise to 2.6 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. This figure clearly exceeds the historic goal of the Paris Agreement to keep temperatures below 2 degrees Celsius and to strive for 1.5 degrees Celsius. According to this report, every opportunity to maintain temperatures at 1.5 degrees has been lost due to years of insufficient action.
Consequences of Global Warming
In a statement released on the occasion of this report, Antonio Guterres stated: "The world can no longer escape crossing the 1.5-degree threshold, and the consequences are already devastating." He referred to serious consequences such as deadly floods, extreme heat, catastrophic wildfires, and deeper inequalities that arise from these climate changes.
According to this report, greenhouse gas emissions in 2025 are expected to reach levels similar to the record year of 2024, and the difference between these two years is not negligible. Furthermore, carbon emissions from fossil fuels, particularly from burning coal, oil, and gas, have increased in 2025 compared to the previous year.
Guterres emphasized that deep and immediate reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are necessary to protect humanity from worse consequences, but "emissions remain at record levels, and current national climate plans and policies are dangerously insufficient."
This report indicates that if current policies are adhered to, temperatures will rise to 2.8 degrees Celsius. Scientists warn that any slight increase in temperature above 1.5 degrees raises the risk of extreme weather events and irreversible changes on the planet.
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