Climate Action Tracker Global Update: Paris Agreement Turning Point

This briefing by the Climate Action Tracker (CAT) evaluates the impact of recent net zero pledges on global warming projections, noting that while targets have lowered end-of-century estimates, a significant gap remains between current policies and the goals required to limit warming to 1.5°C.

• As of November 2020, net zero pledges could limit global warming by 2100 to as low as 2.1°C. China's September 2020 announcement to reach carbon neutrality before 2060 is estimated to reduce end-of-century warming by 0.2 to 0.3°C on its own, while a proposed 2050 carbon neutrality target for the USA would reduce it by an additional 0.1°C. Approximately 127 countries, accounting for about 63% of emissions, have either adopted or are considering net zero targets.
• There is a disconnect between long-term net zero goals and short-term action. As of November 2020, no large emitter had submitted a substantially updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) since the 2015 Paris Agreement. Current government policies result in a warming trajectory that is 0.8°C higher than the optimistic net zero target assessment.
• The Paris Agreement has contributed to a decline in end-of-century warming estimates. Real-world emissions projections based on current policies have dropped by 0.7°C over five years, falling from 3.6°C in 2015 to 2.9°C in 2020, driven by new policies, increased renewable energy, decreased coal use, and lower economic growth. Overall, Paris pledges have reduced target-based warming estimates by 1.4°C, with the current estimate as of November 2020 standing at 2.6°C, down from 3.5°C in 2009.

APA

NewClimate Institute (2020). Climate Action Tracker Global Update: Paris Agreement Turning Point. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/climate-action-tracker-global-update-paris-agreement-turning-point

Chicago

NewClimate Institute. Climate Action Tracker Global Update: Paris Agreement Turning Point. 2020. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/climate-action-tracker-global-update-paris-agreement-turning-point.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=NewClimate Institute |title=Climate Action Tracker Global Update: Paris Agreement Turning Point |date=1 December 2020 |url=http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/climate-action-tracker-global-update-paris-agreement-turning-point |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{newclimateinstitute2020climate, author = {{NewClimate Institute}}, title = {{Climate Action Tracker Global Update: Paris Agreement Turning Point}}, institution = {NewClimate Institute}, year = {2020}, month = dec, url = {http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/climate-action-tracker-global-update-paris-agreement-turning-point}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }