1.5°C Global Warming Limit Still Achievable

UN climate chief Simon Stiell says the 1.5°C target is achievable with urgent action.
At the Bonn climate talks, he urged progress on finance, emissions cuts, and just transition.
Talks aim to mobilise $1.3 trillion yearly by 2030 ahead of COP30.

Executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Simon Stiell has said the 1.5°C global warming target remains within reach but requires accelerated action.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that Stiell made the remarks on Monday at the opening of the UN June climate meetings in Bonn, where delegates have convened for the 62nd session of the Subsidiary Bodies (SB62).

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The talks, running until June 13, are seen as a key step in preparing for COP30, set to take place in Brazil this November.

Although multilateral efforts have helped shift projected global warming from 5°C to about 3°C, he noted that efforts were still not enough.

Stiell said, “You are laying down the tracks that further deliver implementation in the real economy where deep emissions cuts and transformative adaptation must be delivered, quickly and fairly.

“It’s a measure of how far we’ve come, and how far to go. The 1.5°C target remains both achievable and essential.

“Unlock delivery under the just transition work Programme so that it helps move Just Transition from a necessary concept to a lived reality.”

The UN climate chief called on countries to make progress on the outcomes of the first global stocktake at Bonn.

He also raised concerns about the budget constraints facing the climate secretariat, noting that the growing list of tasks assigned to it must be matched with adequate funding.

Stiell urged countries to ensure that the mitigation work programme — established at COP26 in Glasgow to urgently scale up mitigation ambition — builds momentum for “actionable solutions that respond to the urgency”.

He said, “We have found significant cost savings and efficiencies, but this approach is not sustainable. I urge you to address our budget challenges fully through your deliberations here in Bonn.”

A key focus for negotiators in Bonn is creating a clear roadmap to mobilise $1.3 trillion annually in climate finance by 2030, as demanded by developing countries to achieve their climate targets.

Discussions are expected to centre on climate finance, emissions reduction, just transition, and setting final indicators for the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA).