COP31 climate conference focuses on global overshoot risks

As the COP31 climate conference begins in Turkey, experts are warning of a global climate overshoot. Thomas Häusler, a WWF climate expert and member of the Swiss delegation, noted that the 1.5-degree warming limit is already being exceeded temporarily.

Häusler emphasized that exceeding this threshold poses risks of irreversible damage, such as the death of most coral reefs and the disappearance of most Alpine glaciers. He stated that the world must act as quickly as possible to counter these trends and return to levels below 1.5 degrees to mitigate disproportionate risks.

The conference aims to encourage all nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions more rapidly by transitioning away from oil, gas, and coal.