Ten years of the Paris Agreement: Has the world kept its climate promises?

aljazeera.com ∙ 16 hours ago

Ten years of the Paris Agreement: Has the world kept its climate promises?

Top line

Ten years after the Paris Agreement, global emissions and temperatures continue to climb, leaving nations far short of their 1.5C warming targets despite expanded renewable energy.

Summary

A decade after the Paris Agreement entered into force, global greenhouse gas emissions remain near record highs and temperatures continue to rise, with the long-term warming average approaching 1.4C and projected to exceed 1.5C by the end of the decade. While the treaty has spurred renewable energy expansion and lowered projected 2100 warming from 3.6C to 2.6C, progress has stalled since 2021. China, the US, and India generate over half of annual emissions, and despite clean energy investments doubling fossil fuel spending, current national emission cuts remain insufficient to meet the agreement's ambitious targets.

Highlights

The Paris Agreement, adopted in December 2015 and enacted in November 2016, binds 194 parties to limit global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius and pursue a 1.5C limit.
Despite driving stronger climate policies and renewable energy expansion, global greenhouse gas emissions are 9 percent higher than in 2016.
The United States has joined and left the agreement twice under Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden, currently remaining outside the pact as of January 2026.
The years 2023 to 2025 were the hottest on record, with the long-term warming average currently at about 1.4C and projected to surpass 1.5C by the end of the decade.
The United Nations Environment Programme stated that the chance of keeping warming to 1.5C without overshooting it has been lost.
Projections for warming by 2100 have improved from 3.6C in 2015 down to about 2.6C due to clean energy adoption, though progress has stalled since 2021.
China, the United States, and India account for over half of annual global emissions, with China being the largest current emitter and the US holding the highest historical emissions.
Indonesia has entered the top ten emitters list, replacing Canada, while countries like Germany, Japan, and the US have successfully reduced their emissions.

Ten years of the Paris Agreement: Has the world kept its climate promises?

aljazeera.com ∙ 16 hours ago

Top line

Ten years after the Paris Agreement, global emissions and temperatures continue to climb, leaving nations far short of their 1.5C warming targets despite expanded renewable energy.

Summary

Highlights

The Paris Agreement, adopted in December 2015 and enacted in November 2016, binds 194 parties to limit global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius and pursue a 1.5C limit.
Despite driving stronger climate policies and renewable energy expansion, global greenhouse gas emissions are 9 percent higher than in 2016.
The United States has joined and left the agreement twice under Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden, currently remaining outside the pact as of January 2026.
The years 2023 to 2025 were the hottest on record, with the long-term warming average currently at about 1.4C and projected to surpass 1.5C by the end of the decade.
The United Nations Environment Programme stated that the chance of keeping warming to 1.5C without overshooting it has been lost.
Projections for warming by 2100 have improved from 3.6C in 2015 down to about 2.6C due to clean energy adoption, though progress has stalled since 2021.
China, the United States, and India account for over half of annual global emissions, with China being the largest current emitter and the US holding the highest historical emissions.
Indonesia has entered the top ten emitters list, replacing Canada, while countries like Germany, Japan, and the US have successfully reduced their emissions.