Greenhouse gas emissions surged to a record level last year and world temperatures could rise more than twice the globally agreed upon warming limit if nothing is done, a U.N. report showed Tuesday.
The Emissions Gap Report is one of several studies released ahead of U.N. climate talks in Madrid next week aimed at spurring world leaders to limit climate change.
It measures the amount of emissions cuts needed to limit global temperature rises to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels, as agreed to in the key 2015 Paris climate pact. The U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change last year warned of huge global consequences if that target is not met, such as the loss of nearly all coral reefs and most Arctic sea ice.
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