CIEL Statement on IPCC Special Report on 1.5C

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) issued a statement responding to the IPCC Special Report on 1.5°C, emphasizing that limiting warming to 1.5°C is essential to avoid irreversible impacts on species, ecosystems, and human communities.

• The IPCC Special Report on 1.5°C asserts that limiting temperature increases to below 1.5°C is necessary to significantly lower the risk of irreversible impacts on ecosystems and species, as well as systemic consequences for global communities. The report notes that the world has already warmed by more than 1°C, and warming to 2°C would result in more catastrophic impacts and extreme weather events compared to 1.5°C.
• To avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change, greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced by nearly half by 2030, with net zero carbon emissions achieved by 2050. This requires a total economic shift from fossil fuels to clean energy and the restoration of natural ecosystems. The IPCC indicates that while staying under 1.5°C is still possible, the timeframe to act is closing quickly.
• CIEL President Carroll Muffett highlights that climate impacts disproportionately affect vulnerable, marginalized, and poor populations. Furthermore, the IPCC finds that an 'overshoot and return' scenario—where warming exceeds 1.5°C before being brought back down—is more damaging than preventing warming from reaching 1.5°C in the first place.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (2018). CIEL Statement on IPCC Special Report on 1.5C. https://www.ciel.org/news/ciel-statement-on-ipcc-special-report-on-1-5c/

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. CIEL Statement on IPCC Special Report on 1.5C. 2018. https://www.ciel.org/news/ciel-statement-on-ipcc-special-report-on-1-5c/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=CIEL Statement on IPCC Special Report on 1.5C |date=8 October 2018 |url=https://www.ciel.org/news/ciel-statement-on-ipcc-special-report-on-1-5c/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centerforinternationalenvironmentallaw2018ciel, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{CIEL Statement on IPCC Special Report on 1.5C}}, publisher = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2018}, month = oct, url = {https://www.ciel.org/news/ciel-statement-on-ipcc-special-report-on-1-5c/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }