Essay by Eric Worrall
“… Fewer than a third of the world’s nations (62 out of 197) have sent in their climate action plans …”
‘Change course now’: humanity has missed 1.5C climate target, says UN head
Exclusive: ‘Devastating consequences’ now inevitable but emissions cuts still vital, says António Guterres in sole interview before Cop30
Jonathan Watts and Wajã Xipai
Tue 28 Oct 2025 11.01 AEDTHumanity has failed to limit global heating to 1.5C and must change course immediately, the secretary general of the UN has warned.
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“Let’s recognise our failure,” he told the Guardian and Amazon-based news organisation Sumaúma. “The truth is that we have failed to avoid an overshooting above 1.5C in the next few years. And that going above 1.5C has devastating consequences. Some of these devastating consequences are tipping points, be it in the Amazon, be it in Greenland, or western Antarctica or the coral reefs.
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Fewer than a third of the world’s nations (62 out of 197) have sent in their climate action plans, known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs) under the Paris agreement. The US under Donald Trump has abandoned the process. Europe has promised but so far failed to deliver. China, the world’s biggest emitter, has been accused of undercommitting.
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He said a transition away from fossil fuels was a matter of economic self-interest, because it was clear that the era of fossil fuels was coming to an end: “We are seeing a renewables revolution and the transition will inevitably accelerate and there will be no way in which humankind will be able to use all the oil and gas already discovered,” he said.
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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/oct/28/change-course-now-humanity-has-missed-15c-climate-target-says-un-head
Gutteres is due to retire at the end of 2026, with one of the most impressive track records of non achievement of any UN leader. The only question is who will succeed him?
My personal favourite is former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, whose 2023 speech demanding more global censorship to break the link between climate skepticism to gun violence surely put her in the running.
Another strong contender is current Australian Ambassador to the USA Kevin Rudd, who had to frantically delete lots of rude social media posts after President Trump won in 2024. Rudd’s unique ability to stuff up any role he is appointed to and pretty much everything he touches, yet still be appointed to new roles, surely deserves our respect.
Whatever clown show the coming year produces for our entertainment, one thing it won’t bring is a new and binding global climate agreement.
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