Why climate action now comes down to speed, finance and cooperation

Temporarily exceeding the 1.5°C global warming goal set in Paris is widely considered inevitable. The challenge now is to keep that overshoot as small and short as possible by cutting emissions faster, unlocking finance and strengthening international cooperation.Just over a decade ago, the world was heading towards more than 4°C of warming over pre-industrial levels. Climate action since the Paris Agreement has lowered that trajectory to 2.3°C if current national commitments are fully delivered.The United Nations has been at the centre of those efforts, pushing for stronger national plans, a faster transition to renewable energy and greater attention to adaptation, climate justice and the financing needs of developing countries.But progress to limit warming has come as the climate itself continues to heat up. The past 11 years have been the hottest on record, with heat, drought, floods, storms and wildfires taking a growing toll on lives, economies and development.And the world is still on course to exceed the 1.5°C threshold, at least temporarily.Against that backdrop, the next phase of climate action is less about setting new promises than delivering on those already made, while...