How much CO₂ can humanity emit before we push global temperatures 1.5°C above the pre-industrial average? That was the limit agreed in 2015 which scientists say offers us a reasonable chance of averting climate breakdown. The answer, according to a new assessment of the remaining carbon budget, is 380 billion tonnes, or less than a decade of emissions at their present rate.
COP27, the ongoing UN climate change summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, is a series of negotiations over how to implement previous global agreements that aimed to halt warming at 1.5°C. A case study from the continent where negotiators are currently gathered reveals what is necessary to achieve this.
