50:50 odds of 1.5degC rise by 2026

GENEVA: The Earth has a 50:50 chance of temporarily reaching a global warming threshold by 2026, a new report says.

‘‘This study shows — with a high level of scientific skill — that we are getting measurably closer to temporarily reaching the lower target of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change,’’ World Meteorological Organisation secretarygeneral Petteri Taalas said.

‘‘The 1.5degC figure is not some random statistic,’’ Taalas said. ‘‘It is rather an indicator of the point at which climate impacts will become increasingly harmful for people and indeed the entire planet.

‘‘For as long as we continue to emit greenhouse gases, temperatures will continue to rise.

‘‘And alongside that, our oceans will continue to become warmer and more acidic, sea ice and glaciers will continue to melt, sea level will continue to rise, and our weather will become more extreme,’’ he said. — TCA