Microsoft founder Bill Gates said today that it is questionable whether global warming can be controlled within 1.5°C. This shows that there is still much work to be done to achieve the global climate goals. Gates made the above remarks in an interview at the 26th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26).
In the “Paris Agreement” signed in 2015, leaders of various countries stated that they are “committed to controlling the global average temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius below the pre-industrial level, and working hard to control it at 1.5 degrees Celsius.” .
On October 31, the G20 Leaders Summit ended in Rome, Italy. The Declaration of the G20 Leaders’ Rome Summit released after the meeting mentioned that the G20 pledged to the goal of the Paris Agreement and endeavored to limit the increase in global average temperature to 1.5°C above the pre-industrial level. This is the first time this goal has been mentioned in the official statement of the G20 leaders.
On the same day, the COP26 conference was held in Glasgow, England. During the meeting, Gates said in an interview with British MP Jeremy Hunt that it is doubtful whether the target within 1.5°C can be achieved.
Gates said: “It can be said that all of this is about’temperature’. It is better to control within 2.5°C than 3°C; to control within 2°C is better than 2.5°C, and so on. However, It will be very difficult, and I doubt we can do it.”
The 1.5°C threshold is a key global goal, because beyond this level, the so-called “critical point” is more likely to occur. As far as the climate system is concerned, the tipping point refers to the critical threshold for the global or regional climate from one stable state to another stable state. The critical point is irreversible. Once the critical point is triggered, the system may quickly deteriorate.
Even so, Gates also pointed out: “The achievements of mankind in dealing with climate change are unprecedented.”