Scientists are sounding the alarm: the world is rapidly approaching the point of no return in the fight against climate change. According to a new study by the Priestley Centre for Climate Research at the University of Leeds, the planet's remaining carbon budget is only 130 billion tons of CO2. At the current rate of emissions, this limit will be exhausted in as little as three years.
Alarming figures are recorded for 2024: the average temperature on the planet has exceeded pre-industrial levels by 1.52°C. Of this increase, 1.36°C is directly attributable to human activity, while the remaining 0.16°C is due to natural factors.
The scale of the problem is staggering: about 53 billion tons of carbon dioxide are emitted into the atmosphere each year. The main sources are the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. Particularly alarming has been the return of the aviation industry to pre-pandemic levels of emissions.
Earlier, scientists warned that “death loops” could trigger catastrophic consequences.