Past emissions have already locked in some climate impacts, but the scale of future damage still depends on current decisions. That is the core message of the 10 New Insights In Climate Science report, published by 70 researchers from nearly 30 countries. It warns that overshooting 1.5C brings rapidly escalating risks to oceans, glaciers and permafrost, and that the social cost of carbon may be up to four times higher than older models suggested. The report covers 10 areas requiring urgent action, from ocean heat absorption and sea level rise to freshwater scarcity, food system emissions and the growing use of climate attribution in litigation. It also highlights climate clubs and border carbon taxes as tools to prevent carbon leakage, while noting that wealthy nations may need to support developing countries to avoid punishing them. For policymakers, investors and project developers, the takeaway is that the window to act is narrowing but not closed. Deep, rapid emissions cuts remain the only way to limit the irreversible impacts already set in motion.
