Report: UN target for global temperature increase “utterly inadequate” for many nations

By on April 16, 2015
Lower-income island nations, like Peru pictured here, would suffer the harshest effects of a 2-degree global temperature increase. (Credit: Federico/CC BY 2.0)

Lower-income island nations, like Peru pictured here, would suffer the harshest effects of a 2-degree global temperature increase. (Credit: Federico/CC BY 2.0)


The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change established a target for global temperature rise at 2 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial times through 2100. A new report published in Climate Change Responses calls this target “utterly inadequate” for protecting disadvantaged populations in lower-income nations around the world.

Southeast Asia, parts of Africa and most island nations are at particular risk from the effects associated with a 2-degree increase in global temperature, which include elevated sea level, extreme weather events and heat waves. High and upper middle-income countries are better equipped to deal with these phenomena, and are largely behind support for the 2 degrees target.

Over 70 percent of parties involved in the UNFCCC are pushing for a target of 1.5 degrees Celsius or lower, and the old target is currently being re-evaluated.

Top image: Lower-income island nations, like Peru pictured here, would suffer the harshest effects of a 2-degree global temperature increase. (Credit: Federico/CC BY 2.0)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

FishSens SondeCAM HD