Joeri Rogelj
Director of Research at the Grantham Institute – Climate Change and Environment, Imperial College London
A single year with temperatures 1.5°C above preindustrial levels does not mean we’ve reached 1.5°C of global warming. However, it does mean we’re getting dangerously close.
The Paris Agreement sets limits to global warming not out of convenience but out of the necessity to limit harm to and suffering of people. Even if we surpass 1.5°C in the long term, these reasons don't change.
Every fraction of a degree—whether 1.4, 1.5, or 1.6°C—brings more harm to people and ecosystems, underscoring the continued need for ambitious emissions cuts.
While the hottest year on record is alarming, the case for action makes more sense than ever: the cost of solar and wind energy is falling rapidly and is now cheaper than fossil fuels in many countries. Governments can build healthy economies with stronger, more decisive action to accelerate the transition to clean energy.