A new UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report warns that global climate pledges are still far off track to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, leaving the world on course for a catastrophic 2.3–2.5°C of warming.
Despite updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), climate progress has stalled, and the world remains dangerously close to losing the 1.5°C goal altogether.
World leaders arriving in Belém at the end of this week for the Leaders Summit ahead of COP must scale up ambition and act with urgency – there’s no time to lose.
“This report confirms what millions already feel in their daily lives: governments are still failing to deliver on their promises. The window to keep 1.5°C within reach is closing fast, but it is not yet gone. All eyes are now on Belém. COP30 must be a turning point, where leaders stop making excuses, phase out fossil fuels, and scale up renewable energy in a way that is fast, fair, and equitable.
The science is clear: expanding fossil fuels is incompatible with a livable future. COP30 needs to deliver a concrete plan to rapidly phase out coal, oil, and gas, and support countries in scaling up renewable energy that is affordable and accessible for all. The world needs courage and cooperation, not delay and denial, ” says Savio Carvalho, Head of Regions at 350.org.
The UNEP Emissions Gap Report 2025 reveals that even with all current pledges implemented, the world remains on track for up to 2.5°C of heating, far beyond the limits scientists say are safe. Meanwhile, emissions are still rising, and high-emitting countries are failing to meet their 2030 targets.
Civil society and Indigenous leadership are the moral compass of these negotiations. In the Amazon and beyond, Indigenous peoples and traditional communities are protecting the very ecosystems that keep our planet alive. Their leadership must be at the heart of decision-making in Belém. We will hold governments accountable and demand that words finally turn into real climate action.
“This is the moment for civil society to stand firm as leaders prepare to gather in Belém – we must remind them that our future is not negotiable. The world needs them, and us, to act now,” according to Ilan Zugman Latin America Managing Director.
Experts raise the alarm bell.
“This should ring alarm bells at the highest level. Our islands are already facing devastating impacts, we cannot accept being on course for 2.5°C as the “new normal”. We refuse to give up on the 1.5°C target, and even with this prediction of a temporary overshoot, we need to do everything we can as a global community to keep this as limited as possible.
These are more than numbers on a graph for us because every fraction of a degree counts for the survival of the Pacific. COP30 needs to urgently course-correct and implement a phase-out of fossil fuels and a transition to renewable energy. We can only adapt to so much. We have to draw the line somewhere and for us, that is at 1.5°C”
Jacynta Fa’amau, of 350.org Pacific Campaigner hinted.