Photo Credit: GGD x UNFCC
As world leaders continue to gather at COP30 in Belém, Brazil (November 10–21) to shape the next decade of climate policy, the latest scientific data provides a clear and urgent backdrop: greenhouse-gas concentrations have reached record highs, global temperatures continue to climb, and the world remains far off the path required to limit warming to 1.5 °C. At the same time, the UN summit underscores the widening need for resilient infrastructure, adaptation funding, and global cooperation.
Top Summit Stats
- 2025 is on track to become the second or third warmest year on record, with the first eight months averaging +1.42 °C above pre-industrial levels, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
- Developing countries will need an estimated US $310 billion per year by 2035 to strengthen resilience against storms, floods, wildfires and climate-driven disruptions.
- The period 2015–2025 is now the warmest 11-year stretch ever recorded in instrumental data.
- More than 100 countries now report operational Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems, reflecting major progress since 2015, though substantial gaps still remain (WMO).
- Current global climate policies put the planet on a trajectory of approximately 2.5–2.6 °C of warming by 2100, according to recent assessments referenced during COP30: well above the Paris Agreement target.
Why This Data Matters
COP30 is not just another climate summit. Held at the “gateway to the Amazon,” it places forests, biodiversity, and climate justice (especially for Indigenous communities) at the center of global negotiations. Yet the scientific briefings released for COP30 highlight an unavoidable reality: warming is accelerating faster than the global response.
Even with rapid technological advances, including AI-driven climate tools (along with its increased power demands) and breakthroughs in clean energy, the global emissions trajectory remains misaligned with international climate targets. A projected 2.5–2.6 °C rise by the end of the century would bring profound impacts: everything from heat-related health issues and disappearing coral reef ecosystems to a loss of major agriculture regions and food insecurity.
The challenge now is twofold: cutting emissions far more quickly, while massively scaling up the resilience systems needed to protect communities already experiencing climate impacts.
Go Get More Data
- Global Carbon Project — Tracks global carbon sources, sinks and emissions.
- Climate Action Tracker — Rates government climate actions and pathways.
- UN COP30 Portal — Follow the latest COP30 sessions, livestreams and announcements.
