WWF: Global temperature overshoot leaves no room for delay on climate action

The 1.5�C limit is "gone", scientists say. But new pathways show that temperatures can still return to this level by the end of the century

GLAND, Switzerland – Wednesday, October 21, 2026

The world will miss the Paris Agreement�s goal of limiting warming to 1.5�C without overshoot. New findings released today show that crossing this threshold is now unavoidable. All efforts must shift to the urgent task of keeping overshoot as small and brief as possible and bringing temperatures back below 1.5�C by the end of the century.

Keeping warming as close to 1.5�C as possible will reduce threats from extreme heat, rising seas, water shortages, crop losses, and the collapse of natural systems. This is especially critical for the most vulnerable countries, including small island states threatened by rising seas.

UNEP�s Emissions Gap Report 2026, published today, delivers a stark message: decisions made now will shape lives and livelihoods for generations.

But hope remains. The report offers a way forward, outlining pathways to return global temperatures to 1.5�C by the end of the century. To do so, governments must keep any overshoot as small and as brief as possible by cutting emissions faster and protecting the natural systems that absorb carbon and shield communities from climate impacts.

COP31 is a critical opportunity to turn that warning into action. Governments must deliver on their promises to triple renewable energy capacity, phase out fossil fuels, cut methane emissions, and halt and reverse deforestation. They must act faster now and set stronger targets for 2035 and 2040.

Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, WWF Global Climate and Energy Lead and COP20 President, said: �Crossing 1.5�C is not the end of the fight. It�s the time we roll up our sleeves and fight harder. We cannot waste a moment. We must intensify our efforts to build resilience and reduce global emissions. Phasing out fossil fuels in a fair, fast and equitable way must be central to this. So must protecting and restoring nature � the foundation of our 1.5�C future.

�Governments must come to COP31 ready to take the decisions this moment demands. We must build on the extraordinary rise of renewable energy, bringing clean power to more homes, businesses, and communities, and use it to transform transport, heating, and industry. The era of promises is over. Antalya must be where governments turn ambition into action, and action into a safer future for people and nature.�

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