Climate Overshoot: The World Beyond 1.5°C

We are going to miss the world's most important climate target, according to the UN. So can we bring the planet's temperature back down quickly? Or will the damage be irreversible?

In 2015, world leaders agreed in Paris to try to keep the global temperature below 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels to avoid the worst effects of climate change.

But the United Nations now says we will crash through this threshold in the next few years, and we have a narrow window to stop what scientists call "overshoot" from having devastating consequences.

Experts are worried that we might trigger "tipping points" in vital parts of our planet's climate system, including coral reefs, glaciers, rainforests and ocean currents.

Once past their tipping points, they could flip from helping to keep the Earth cool to making it even warmer.

In this show, The Climate Question hosts Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar talk to Johan Rockström, Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research

Producers: Simon Watts, Melanie Stewart-Smith and Diane Richardson

Sound Mix: Tom Brignell and Phil Bull

Editor: Simon Watts