Ten years after the Paris Agreement, experts warn the world is off track to meet its 2015 climate goals. Martin Kaiser of Greenpeace Germany says major economies — particularly the G20 and Germany — must close the gap between pledges and action and implement immediate measures in transport, buildings and land use. Johan Rockström of PIK cautions that emissions continue to rise, oceans are warming faster than expected, and ecosystems like coral reefs face critical tipping points. He warns that exceeding 1.5°C is now likely and calls for urgent, large‑scale action.
10 Years After Paris: Experts Warn the World Is 'At Risk' as Emissions Keep Rising
Cattle move through the dried-up Lake Hamun in Iran. A landmark 2024 study on the global economic costs of climate change was retracted from the Nature journal on Wednesday after criticism of incorrect data. Mohammad Dehdast/dpa
Ten years after the landmark Paris climate agreement, scientists and environmental groups warn that the world is far off course from meeting the pact’s goals.
Paris Goals vs. Reality
The agreement, adopted on December 12, 2015, by nearly 200 countries, committed nations to limit global warming to well below 2°C and, if possible, to 1.5°C above pre‑industrial levels. While renewable energy and electric mobility have advanced, global greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, undermining those targets.
Voices From the Field
Martin Kaiser, head of Greenpeace Germany, told dpa that the Paris Agreement still functions as a global compass for climate policy but warned it will only remain meaningful if major economies — especially the G20 — close the gap between promises and action. Kaiser said the German government under Chancellor Friedrich Merz has a responsibility to steer the country back onto a 1.5°C pathway and urged immediate measures in transport, buildings and land‑use planning.
“Climate protection is not a burden, but the foundation for freedom, security and prosperity in the future,” Kaiser said.
Johan Rockström, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), said that while many left the 2015 summit relieved, the decade since has shown that global efforts have fallen short. He warned that global warming is accelerating, the oceans are heating faster than expected, and key ecosystems — notably tropical coral reefs — are approaching critical tipping points.
“Exceeding the 1.5°C threshold is now unavoidable,” Rockström said, adding that the only hope is that governments recognize this failure and respond with urgent, large‑scale action.
What Needs To Happen
Experts call for rapid, deep emissions cuts across all sectors, with immediate policy and investment shifts in transport, buildings and land use. Closing the ambition‑to‑action gap in major economies is central to limiting further damage and protecting vulnerable ecosystems and communities.
Bottom line: The Paris Agreement remains the benchmark for climate ambition, but turning pledges into fast, enforceable policies is essential if the world is to avoid the worst risks of a warming planet.
