Scientists release climate projections showing warming outcomes depend on emissions cuts

Scientists and climate organisations published new projections this year showing how Earth's temperature could change by 2050 and beyond. Since 1900, average global temperatures have risen by around 1.1°C, mainly because burning fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. If countries do not cut emissions, models suggest temperatures could rise by a further 4°C before 2100. Arctic sea ice is already roughly half as thick in summer as it was in 1950, and mountain glaciers have been shrinking for a century. Groups including the EPA and Probable Futures have built interactive maps letting people explore different warming scenarios. Meanwhile, writer Ayana Elizabeth Johnson released a book imagining futures where climate solutions actually work, projecting a more hopeful path forward.