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Climate change: CO2 budget is dwindling, 1.5 degree target is in danger!
A study shows that the carbon budget for the 1.5 degree target could be used up in less than three years.
Climate change: CO2 budget is dwindling, 1.5 degree target is in danger!
Time is running out – this doesn’t go unnoticed. A recent study shows worrying figures on the CO2 budget necessary to limit global warming to a maximum of 1.5 degrees compared to pre-industrial levels. According to [LZ](https://www.lz.de/ueberregional/nachrichten/24122026_Studie-CO2-Budget-fuer-15-Grad- Ziel-schrumpft-rapide.html), the remaining CO2 budget will be completely used up in just over three years if current emissions are not drastically reduced. Even more alarming is the prospect of global warming of 1.6 or 1.7 degrees - these thresholds could be exceeded in just nine years.
This report, prepared by over 60 international scientists, was presented at the UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn and underlines the urgency of the issue. The study's lead author, Piers Forster, clearly points out that current climate protection measures are not sufficient to achieve the goals set. The rise in global temperatures has been evident since 1900, with sea levels increasing by an average of 26 millimeters per year between 2019 and 2024 - a development that is putting coastal areas and their populations at increasing risk.
Background to the Paris Agreement
In 2015, the Paris Agreement was adopted, which aims to keep the Earth well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with efforts aimed at limiting warming to a maximum of 1.5°C. This is how the Umweltbundesamt describes it. This objective was further supported by an IPCC special report in 2018, which highlighted the serious consequences of exceeding 1.5°C. From more frequent extreme weather events to serious damage to ecosystems and biodiversity, the list of potential consequences is long and worrying.
Currently, the fact that the Earth spent a full year above the 1.5 degree average in 2024 shows how serious the situation is. According to Zeit, 1.22 degrees of the increase is man-made. At 442 molecules per million, the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere has reached a record level not seen in two million years. As emissions continue, the CO2 budget could be exhausted in just three years, which would ultimately push the 1.5 degree target out of reach.
What needs to be done now
To salvage the situation, some drastic measures are necessary. Greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced by at least 43% by 2030, and large amounts of CO2 must also be actively removed from the atmosphere. However, the problem often lies in the details: In many countries, especially the USA under the administration of Donald Trump, there is a regression in climate protection.
The challenges are great, but we are not alone - the international community, i.e. all 195 countries that have signed the agreement, are called upon. Industrialized countries in particular bear particular responsibility, while developing countries need support. In particular, states that are particularly vulnerable due to their geographical location need quick and effective help.
A call to everyone is urgent: mobilization and cooperation are crucial so that the 1.5 degree goal does not remain just a distant dream. Ambitious climate protection measures are not a luxury, but a necessity for a future worth living.