Will We Ever Get Back Below the 1.5°C Global Temperature Increase?

The world has officially surpassed the 1.5°C warming threshold, a critical limit set by the Paris Agreement to avoid the worst effects of climate change. For years, scientists have warned about this tipping point, and now that we’ve crossed it, one big question remains: Can we ever cool the planet back down?

Sadly, though expected, there is no easy fix. While reversing global warming is an enormous challenge, there are still things we can do.

This post is a part of our Climate Change Collective conversations. Molly at Transatlantic Notes is starting off our conversation this month with her post “Global Warning: What Surpassing 1.5°C Means for the Planet.” Learn more about the Climate Change Collective below.

What Does It Mean to Surpass 1.5°C?

First, let’s look at what it actually means to exceed 1.5°C of warming. Molly’s post Global Warning: What Surpassing 1.5°C Means for the Planet goes into great details about this and is really worth a read. But in short, this 1.5°C number represents the global average temperature rise compared to pre-industrial levels (1850-1900). Crossing this line doesn’t mean we’re doomed, but it does mean that we’re entering a time where extreme weather events, ecosystem collapse, and sea level rise become more likely and more severe.

While surpassing 1.5°C was expected, it is still alarming. The numbers may seem small, but every fraction of a degree really does matter. The slightest increase in temperature can dramatically intensify heatwaves, storms, and droughts, leading to food shortages, displacement, and economic instability.

Is It Even Possible to Reverse Warming?

Now that we’ve hit the 1.5°C mark, it’s important to look at whether this is reversible. Technically, we can say yes, but it isn’t an easy task. Cooling the planet will require removing more carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere than we emit, a process known as net-negative emissions.

Two approaches that could help this happen are:

1. Drastically Cutting Emissions – Slashing fossil fuel use, improving energy efficiency, and transitioning to renewables.
2. Carbon Removal Technologies – Using natural and technological solutions to pull CO2 out of the air and store it safely.

1. Slashing Global Emissions

The fastest way to slow warming is to stop sending greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. This means shifting away from coal, oil, and gas in favour of clean energy sources like wind and solar.

Some good progress is already being made in many areas of the world:

• Renewable energy is booming – Solar and wind are now cheaper than fossil fuels in many places. The cost of clean energy is continuing to drop.
• Electric vehicles are on the rise – More people are switching from gas-powered to electric cars.
• Major polluters are pledging carbon neutrality – Countries are acknowledging the need for change and are setting net-zero targets. However, many of these are unfortunately not reaching those targets.

Even with these efforts, emissions are still rising and our planet is still warming. To get back below 1.5°C, we need to move much faster.

2. Carbon Removal: Can We Pull CO2 Back Out of the Air?

Even if we stop emissions tomorrow, the substantial amount of CO2 in the atmosphere will remain and our planet will stay warm. There are a number of strategies out there that are focusing on removing CO2 from the atmosphere.

Here are the main strategies for doing that:

Reforestation and Ecosystem Restoration

Forests, wetlands, and oceans naturally absorb CO2. Restoring these ecosystems is one of the most effective (and cheapest) ways to pull carbon from the atmosphere. There are also a number of other benefits to reforestation, such as preventing flooding. However, this method alone isn’t enough, as it takes decades for trees to grow and capture meaningful amounts of CO2.

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)

Carbon Capture and Storage involves trapping CO2 from power plants and industrial sites before it enters the atmosphere and storing it underground. This technology has been in use since 1972, so has some proven effectiveness; however, finding places to store CO2 will eventually be limited making CSS also limited.

Direct Air Capture (DAC)

Direct Air Capture machines pull CO2 directly from still air and store it permanently. One difference between DAC and CSS is that DAC has a component of utilizing the CO2 as well as storing it.

The Role of Global Policies and Cooperation

Reversing and slowing global warming isn’t just about the science—it is also about politics and cooperation. The world needs to commit to massive investments in clean energy, carbon removal, and simply a lived out commitment of change.

Key international actions that could help include:

• Stronger Climate Agreements – More ambitious policies beyond the Paris Agreement.
• Carbon Pricing – Making polluters pay for their emissions.
• Massive Public and Private Investment – Funding clean tech, research, and infrastructure.
• Lifestyle and Consumption Changes – Reducing meat consumption, waste, and overconsumption.

Time Is Running Out, But We Can Still Act

Even if we use every tool available and make every commitment necessary, getting back below 1.5°C in the near future is highly unlikely. That being said, we can still work towards slowing down warming and minimizing the damage.

Here are some ways we as individuals can contribute:

• Support clean energy policies – Vote for leaders who prioritize climate action.
• Reduce personal carbon footprints – Use public transit, eat less meat, and save energy.
• Advocate and spread awareness – Engage in climate activism and push for systemic change.
• Invest in climate solutions – Support green companies and technologies.

Where Do We Go From Here?

Will we ever get back below 1.5°C? Maybe—but not anytime soon. What needs our focus now is taking urgent action to slow further warming. Every effort counts, and the sooner we act, the better our chances of avoiding the worst outcomes.

I encourage you to take a look at Molly’s post to learn more about our planet’s temperature increase and about some actions you can take in the midst of this. Read her post here: Global Warning: What Surpassing 1.5°C Means for the Planet

The Climate Change Collective

This post is a part of our Climate Change Collective conversations.

The Climate Change Collective was born out of an exchange that took place between Michelle and Jamie in the comments section of a Jamie Ad Stories blog post. Jamie and Michelle both care deeply about the impact of human activity on our planet and wanted to find a way to keep the climate change message top of mind for everyone. A tweet was sent out, bloggers responded, and we’ve all now teamed up to create the Climate Change Collective! Learn more about the bloggers behind this group in our post introducing everyone: Get to Know our 5 Fantastic Climate Change Collective Bloggers.

The idea is simple. The members of the collective will take turns writing a monthly blog post sharing their concerns and unique perspective about climate change. After the post is published, the rest of the group will keep the conversation going by sharing a link to the post on their blogs along with their thoughts and ideas. If you’re a like-minded blogger and would like to join our collective, please get in touch. The more the merrier!

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