The UN reported that global warming would exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius, despite the goal agreed after the 2015 Paris Climate Summit to limit warming to 1.5 degrees while keeping the maximum at 2 degrees. Climate scientist Leo Meyer said achieving the more ambitious target would have required major action, which has not been taken in recent years, according to climate editor Rob Ramaker.

The UN is drawing up a plan to bring warming back below 1.5 degrees, but achieving that would require major steps. The current trajectory is toward higher levels of warming and further climate-change impacts.