Smart Net-Zero

 October 31, 2023 | Earth.org | 

A new study published in the journal Nature indicates that the pace at which human fossil fuel emissions are threatening the critical climate threshold of limiting global warming below 1.5°C is twice as fast as previously estimated. The research suggests that humanity has only six years left to achieve net-zero emissions and stay within the 1.5°C target. If current emission levels persist, we can emit another 250 gigatonnes of CO₂ for a 50-50 chance to reach the 1.5°C limit in six years, instead of the mid-2030s as previously predicted. Carbon dioxide, a major contributor to global warming, has seen unprecedented levels, with atmospheric CO₂ reaching 424 parts per million in May. The study's findings underscore the urgency for global action to curb emissions ahead of the upcoming UN climate summit, COP28, in Dubai.