Fight against global warming needs stronger political leadership

The authors warn that current emission rates will exhaust the carbon budget for a 2-degree Celsius limit by 2040, potentially triggering irreversible tipping points such as the destabilization of major ice sheets. They advocate for a transition to a low-carbon economy, specifically calling for zero emissions from fossil fuels by 2050 and zero deforestation by 2030 to ensure global stability and economic prosperity.

• To maintain a 66% probability of limiting global temperature rise to two degrees Celsius, carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels must be limited to one trillion tonnes, a budget that will be exhausted by 2040 at current emission rates.
• Even if the two-degree target is met, significant risks remain, including potential sea level rises of at least six metres and catastrophic impacts on health, food security, and regional stability.
• Humanity faces existential threats from crossing Earth system tipping points, which include the thawing of permafrost in polar regions, the disappearance of sea ice, and the destabilization of ice sheets in West Antarctica and Greenland.
• The authors propose two specific global targets to avoid dangerous climate change: achieving zero deforestation by 2030 and zero emissions from fossil fuels by 2050.
• Transitioning to a low-carbon economy is presented as an opportunity for innovation and job creation that can improve living standards, reduce poverty, and lower local air pollution.

APA

Rockström, J., Stern, N., & Sokona, Y. (2015). Fight against global warming needs stronger political leadership. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/global-cooperation/fight-against-global-warming-needs-stronger-political-leadership/

Chicago

Rockström, Johan, Nicholas Stern, and Youba Sokona. Fight against global warming needs stronger political leadership. World Economic Forum, 2015. https://www.weforum.org/stories/global-cooperation/fight-against-global-warming-needs-stronger-political-leadership/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Rockström |first1=Johan |last2=Stern |first2=Nicholas |last3=Sokona |first3=Youba |title=Fight against global warming needs stronger political leadership |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=10 July 2015 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/global-cooperation/fight-against-global-warming-needs-stronger-political-leadership/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{rockstrm2015fight, author = {Rockström, Johan and Stern, Nicholas and Sokona, Youba}, title = {{Fight against global warming needs stronger political leadership}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2015}, month = jul, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/global-cooperation/fight-against-global-warming-needs-stronger-political-leadership/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }