- Commentary
- Published:
The challenge to keep global warming below 2 °C
- Glen P. Peters1,
- Robbie M. Andrew1,
- Tom Boden2,
- Josep G. Canadell3,
- Philippe Ciais4,
- Corinne Le Quéré5,
- Gregg Marland6,
- Michael R. Raupach3 &
- …
- Charlie Wilson5
Nature Climate Changevolume 3, pages4–6 (2013)Cite this article
19kAccesses
705Citations
429Altmetric
The latest carbon dioxide emissions continue to track the high end of emission scenarios, making it even less likely global warming will stay below 2 °C. A shift to a 2 °C pathway requires immediate significant and sustained global mitigation, with a probable reliance on net negative emissions in the longer term.
This is a preview of subscription content,access via your institution
Relevant articles
Open Access articles citing this article.
Incorporating mesopelagic fish into the evaluation of conservation areas for marine living resources under climate change scenarios
- Shuhao Liu
- ,Yang Liu
- … Yongjun Tian
Marine Life Science & TechnologyOpen Access15 August 2023
Impact of changes in sea surface temperature due to climate change on hurricane wind and storm surge hazards across US Atlantic and Gulf coast regions
- Babak Salarieh
- ,Izuchukwu A. Ugwu
- & Abdullahi M. Salman
SN Applied SciencesOpen Access09 July 2023
Constructing soils for climate-smart mining
- Francisco Ruiz
- ,José Lucas Safanelli
- … Tiago Osório Ferreira
Communications Earth & EnvironmentOpen Access19 June 2023
Access options
Subscription info for Japanese customers
We have a dedicated website for our Japanese customers. Please go tonatureasia.com to subscribe to this journal.
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout


References
UNFCCCEstablishment of an Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (UNFCCC, 2011).
Moss, R. H. et al.Nature463, 747–756 (2010).
Van Vuuren, D. et al.Climatic Change103, 635–642 (2010).
Tirpak, D. & Vellinga, P. inClimate Change: The IPCC Response Strategies (eds Bernthal, F. et al.) 9–42 (IPCC, 1990).
Leggett, J. et al. inClimate Change 1992: The Supplementary Report to The IPCC Scientific Assessment (eds Houghton, J. T., Callander, B. A. & Varney, S. K.) 69–98 (Cambridge Univ. Press, 1992).
Nakicenovic, N. & Swart, R.IPCC Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (Cambridge Univ. Press, 2000).
Van Vuuren, D. P. et al.Climatic Change109, 5–31 (2011).
Richels, R. G., Tol, R. S. J. & Yohe, G. W.Nature453, 155–155 (2008).
Van Vuuren, D. P. & Riahi, K.Climatic Change91, 237–248 (2008).
Peters, G. P. et al.Nature Clim. Change2, 2–4 (2012).
Friedlingstein, P. et al.Nature Clim. Change1, 457–461 (2011).
Schneider, S. H. & Thompson, S. L.J. Geophys. Res.86, 3135–3147 (1981).
Le Quéré, C . et al.Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss.http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/essdd-5-1107-2012 (2012).
Rogelj, J., Meinshausen, M. & Knutti, R.Nature Clim. Change2, 248–253 (2012).
Le Quéré, C. et al.Nature Geosci.2, 831–836 (2009).
Raupach, M. R. et al.Proc. Natl Acad. Sci.104, 10288–10293 (2007).
GEAGlobal Energy Assessment — Toward a Sustainable Future (Cambridge Univ. Press & IIASA, 2012).
Van Vliet, J. et al.Climatic Change113, 551–561 (2012).
UNEPBridging the Emissions Gap (UNEP, 2011).
Rogelj, J. et al.Nature Clim. Change1, 413–418 (2011).
Jakob, M., Luderer, G., Steckel, J., Tavoni, M. & Monjon, S.Climatic Change114, 79–99 (2012).
Clarke, L. et al.Energy Econ.31 (Supplement 2), S64–S81 (2009).
Peters, G. P., Minx, J. C., Weber, C. L. & Edenhofer, O.Proc. Natl Acad. Sci.108, 8903–8908 (2011).
Wilson, C., Grubler, A., Gallagher, K. S. & Nemet, G. F.Nature Clim. Change2, 780–788 (2012).
Acknowledgements
This work is a collaborative effort of the Global Carbon Project, a joint project of the Earth System Science Partnership, to provide regular analyses of the main global carbon sources and sinks (http://www.globalcarbonproject.org/). G.P.P. and R.M.A were supported by the Norwegian Research Council (project 221355/E10). T.B. and the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC) are supported by the US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Biological and Environmental Research. C.L.Q. thanks the UK Natural Environment Research Council (project NE/103002X/1) and the European Commission (project FP7-283080) for support. J.G.C. and M.R.R. thank the Australian Climate Change Science Program for support.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Center for International Climate and Environmental Research – Oslo (CICERO), PO Box 1128, Blindern, Oslo, 0550, Norway
Glen P. Peters & Robbie M. Andrew
Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC), Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, 37831-4842, Tennessee, USA
Tom Boden
Global Carbon Project, CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, GPO Box 3023, Canberra, Australia
Josep G. Canadell & Michael R. Raupach
Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement, CAE – CNRS – UVSQ, Gif sur Yvette, 91191, France
Philippe Ciais
Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
Corinne Le Quéré & Charlie Wilson
Research Institute for Environment, Energy, and Economics, Appalachian State University, ASU Box 32067, Boone, 28608-2067, North Carolina, USA
Gregg Marland
- Glen P. Peters
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
- Robbie M. Andrew
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
- Tom Boden
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
- Josep G. Canadell
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
- Philippe Ciais
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
- Corinne Le Quéré
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
- Gregg Marland
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
- Michael R. Raupach
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
- Charlie Wilson
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
Contributions
All authors contributed to the planning of the paper. G.P.P. led the work. G.M. and T.B. contributed the updated CO2 emission data. R.M.A. prepared the figures and associated analysis. G.P.P. did the 2012 emission estimate and the analysis of the historical reduction rates. All authors contributed to data interpretation and to the writing of the paper.
Corresponding author
Correspondence toGlen P. Peters.
Supplementary information
Supplementary Information
Supplementary Information (PDF 934 kb)
Supplementary Information 2
Supplementary Information 2 (XLSX 28 kb)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Peters, G., Andrew, R., Boden, T.et al. The challenge to keep global warming below 2 °C.Nature Clim Change3, 4–6 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate1783
Published:
Issue Date:
Share this article
Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:
Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.
Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative
This article is cited by
Climate change induced heat stress impact on workplace productivity in a net zero-carbon timber building towards the end of the century
- Deepak Amaripadath
- Mattheos Santamouris
- Shady Attia
Building Simulation (2024)
Selection of multiple ensemble representative CMIP5 climate models for climate change study in developing river basin: the case of Awash River Basin, Ethiopia
- Asmare Belay Nigussie
- Hailu Wondmagegnehu Tenfie
- Andualem Endalew
Arabian Journal of Geosciences (2024)
A high concentration CO2 pool over the Indo-Pacific Warm Pool
- R. Peter
- J. Kuttippurath
- N. Sunanda
Scientific Reports (2023)
Constructing soils for climate-smart mining
- Francisco Ruiz
- José Lucas Safanelli
- Tiago Osório Ferreira
Communications Earth & Environment (2023)
Feasibility assessment of biomass for sustainable power generation to mitigate climate change in a rural cluster: a case study in India
- Mayank Nehra
- Sheilza Jain
Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery (2023)