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A new United Nations report warns that the world is set to exceed the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The report, released Wednesday, highlights that current policies could push warming to 2.8 degrees Celsius this century. The outlook has worsened partly due to the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris climate accord, according to CNN.
The U.S. was the only major economy to see a significant increase in greenhouse gas emissions last year, as reported by NPR. This increase is attributed to rising electricity demand and policies supporting fossil fuels under the Trump administration. The administration has ordered coal-fired power plants to remain open longer and rolled back fuel-efficiency standards for vehicles.
The report, known as the Emissions Gap Report 2026, suggests that to limit peak warming to 1.7 to 1.8 degrees Celsius, global greenhouse gas emissions need to be cut by 18% by 2030, 45% by 2035, and 69% by 2040, relative to 2025 levels. It also calls for a tripling of renewable electricity capacity by 2035 and a phaseout of coal by 2040, as detailed by Scripps News.
Despite the report's findings, the Trump administration disputes its conclusions and will not participate in the upcoming COP31 climate talks in Turkey. The report emphasizes that without urgent action, the lowest possible overshoot pathway will quickly fade, underscoring the need for deeper emissions cuts and increased renewable energy investments.