UNEP’s latest report sends a clear warning. The world is now expected to exceed 1.5°C of global warming, even under the most optimistic scenario assessed.
The scale and duration of that overshoot still depend on the decisions governments make now.
Every fraction of a degree matters. Every additional year above 1.5°C increases risks for people, ecosystems and economies, while raising the likelihood of irreversible impacts.
The immediate priority is to reduce emissions as quickly as possible while strengthening resilience to the climate impacts that are already unfolding.
For REN21, achieving the best possible outcome now requires changing the system that continues to lock economies into fossil fuels. For too long, climate action has focused on individual measures while leaving many of the structures that drive fossil fuel dependence in place. Real change requires transforming how we produce, consume, finance and govern energy across the economy. The question is increasingly how quickly we can make that shift, as the risks of climate change for people, economies and nature become ever clearer.
Renewable energy is central to this transformation. It can cut emissions, reduce exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets, strengthen energy security and support more resilient economies. Delivering these benefits requires renewable energy to expand across transport, buildings, industry and agriculture, supported by grids, storage, energy efficiency, electrification and policies that enable investment at scale.
“Climate change is a danger for people, economies and nature, and fossil fuels are driving it. We have the solutions and technologies to move away from fossil fuels. What we need now is to choose to build renewables based economies and create the conditions to invest in and scale renewables across the entire economy. This is becoming increasingly urgent. Every delay locks in more risk, while faster action can build stronger, more resilient and more secure economies.”, said Rana Adib, Executive Director of REN21.
UNEP also highlights the need to advance mitigation and adaptation together. Energy systems, infrastructure and economies need to become more resilient as climate impacts become more frequent and severe.
This is especially important for climate vulnerable countries, many of which are already facing major impacts while having contributed little to global warming. Renewable energy can strengthen resilience by reducing dependence on imported fuels, diversifying supply, decentralising generation and improving access to reliable energy. Reaching this potential will require greater investment and stronger international cooperation.
Ramón Méndez Galain, President of REN21, said:
“We already know that rapid energy transitions are possible. Countries have shown that renewable energy can provide secure, affordable and reliable energy at scale. The priority now is to create the policies, institutions and investment conditions that allow this transition to move much faster. The decisions taken in the next few years will shape both our climate future and the resilience of our economies.”
The coming years will determine how far temperatures rise above 1.5°C and how quickly they can return below that level.
Governments have the tools to reduce the scale of the overshoot. This requires faster renewable energy deployment, stronger energy efficiency, greater electrification, investment in resilient energy systems and a much faster shift of finance away from fossil fuels.
The window for action has narrowed considerably. The choices made now will determine how much further warming can still be avoided.
Media Contacts:
Rochelle Gluzman, REN21, rochelle.gluzman@ren21.net
Nabilah Tarin, REN21, nabilah.tarin@ren21.net
Jose Bonito, World Media Wire, +44 7528 01622 jose.bonito@worldmediawire.com
