Most importantly, they have staked out new territory, aspiring to limit global warming to a safer 1.5 degrees Celsius level as opposed to riskier 2 degrees above pre-industrial temperatures. To accomplish this, they are focused on winning the 10-year sprint to 2030. This is dictated by the latest science that tells us we must make significant cuts to climate pollution this decade to strengthen our chance of maintaining a habitable planet.
While time is short, winning the 10-year sprint and limiting warming to 1.5 degrees is still feasible with aggressive action to reduce not only CO
2, but also the non-CO
2 climate pollutants like hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), methane and black carbon. It also requires protecting our forests and other natural carbon sinks. These are the essential levers to limit warming to 1.5 degrees. Beyond 1.5 degrees, it is increasingly likely that the self-reinforcing feedbacks will push the planet past irreversible tipping points with potentially catastrophic consequences.