UN Declares Overshooting 1.5°C Global Warming Inevitable with Devastating Impacts

The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has declared that exceeding the 1.5°C global warming limit set by the Paris Agreement is now inevitable, marking a critical turning point in climate history. Recent reports from the World Meteorological Organization confirm that the global average temperature has already surpassed this threshold, with 2024 being the hottest year on record. Guterres warned that overshooting this limit will lead to devastating impacts such as extreme floods, fires, heatwaves, and melting ice sheets, pushing the planet toward potential collapse. He emphasized the urgent need for countries to implement early warning systems to protect communities from extreme weather events, noting that such systems can reduce damage by up to 30%. Despite these warnings, emissions continue to rise, and the goal of keeping temperature increases below 1.5°C is now out of reach. The UN calls for greater ambition and global cooperation to mitigate the worsening climate crisis.