Between 2010 and 2019, the global temperature increased by an average of 1.07 degrees Celsius. However, between 2013 and 2022, the growth increased to 1.14 degrees. This shows that the pace of anthropogenic climate change is increasing at a staggering rate of over 0.2 degrees Celsius per decade, with human-induced greenhouse gas emissions as the main driver.

The UN has proven its futility once again

The study highlights the critical importance of greenhouse gas emissions, despite the agreement reached by the leaders of 195 countries at the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris in 2015 to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. reached an “all-time high”.

how bad

In the last decade, about 54 gigatons of carbon dioxide have been released into the Earth’s atmosphere annually as a result of various industrial activities. Failing to limit these emissions means humanity is left with a meager carbon budget of around 250 gigatonnes before global warming crosses the 1.5°C threshold.

In a preliminary assessment in 2020, researchers estimate that humanity still has more than 500 gigatons of carbon dioxide. These findings highlight the urgent need for significant change, as the global “carbon credit” is predicted to run out in less than five years if no significant action is taken.

Scientists are alarming

Professor Piers Forster, one of the study’s authors and director of the Priestley Center for Climate Futures at the University of Leeds, describes the situation as a “triple scourge” caused by extremely high carbon dioxide emissions, increased emissions of other greenhouse gases and reduced emissions. pollution. It highlights the need to step up efforts to reduce emissions to avoid a 1.5 degree temperature rise.

The researchers say the results are a “warning signal”, emphasizing that even a small increase in average global temperatures will lead to more frequent and severe weather disasters, including droughts, floods and tropical storms.

Professor Peter Thorne, co-author of the study and director of the ICARUS Center for Climate Studies at the University of Maynooth, highlights the importance of raising awareness among policymakers and the general public about how quickly collective human activity is changing the climate.

Since the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessment of the fundamentals of physical science in 2021, significant changes have occurred, and global progress has lagged well behind the need to prevent warming.