Political inaction drives up global temperatures

Political inaction drives projected global temperatures to dangerous levels

What you probably already know: The planet is warming at a rapid rate and projections for the remaining century have not improved since 2021, according to a new report out Thursday from the Climate Action Tracker. The hope had been that, when the first report came out, countries would take action to curb greenhouse gas emissions. However, the report states that mixed signals from the political space have canceled each other out and hindered progress. The report shows temperatures will rise about 4.9 degrees Fahrenheit (2.7 degrees Celsius) globally by 2100.

Why? The report states that, while investment in renewable energy sources and clean manufacturing practices have improved, fossil fuel subsidies remain high and funding for “fossil fuel-prolonging projects” quadrupled between 2021 and 2022. World leaders had previously pledged during the Paris Agreement to hold global warming below 2 degrees Celsius, but the U.S. pulled out of the agreement during Donald Trump’s previous presidency, something he’s vowed to do again once he takes office. Rises in global temperature are driving more destructive weather, including hurricanes, floods and wildfires.

What it means: The report is clear: 2024 was a year of inaction on this front, with no countries issuing any new pledges to reduce emissions or shift away from fossil fuels. As a result, the group projects global warming will increase slightly under all of its scenarios, even the most optimistic. The report ties government actions and policies to global temperatures, and states that the election of Trump could add 0.04 degrees of warming by 2100 if he follows through on his promises to remove climate change policies. Exxon has even begged Trump not to pull out of the Paris Agreement.

What happens now? Climate scientists have stated for years that warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius is the point where the planet will see widespread and irreversible damage, something that happened earlier this year. For each 1 degree of global warming, there’s a 7% increase in extreme daily rainfall. Flooding has killed thousands of people this year, including flash floods in areas like Spain and North Carolina where this weather has previously been considered rare. Meanwhile, eight large wildfires have burned 278,000 acres mostly in the eastern U.S. so far this fall, and this year is on track to be one of highest ever for acres burned.