A new United Nations assessment reveals a troubling reality: the majority of countries have failed to submit updated climate action plans ahead of a crucial international summit, leaving the world dangerously off course from preventing catastrophic warming.

The UN’s comprehensive review of national climate commitments paints a stark picture of global inaction. These nationally determined contributions (NDCs) serve as each country’s roadmap for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change. However, with many nations missing critical deadlines to strengthen their pledges, the international community appears woefully unprepared to meet the goals established under the Paris Climate Agreement.

Current projections based on existing commitments show the planet is heading toward warming levels that far exceed the 1.5°C target scientists say is necessary to avoid the most severe climate impacts. This gap between what’s needed and what’s being promised threatens to unleash more frequent extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and widespread ecological disruption.

The timing of these findings is particularly concerning as world leaders prepare to gather for upcoming climate negotiations. Without substantially stronger commitments and immediate action, experts warn that the window for limiting global temperature rise is rapidly closing. The UN’s assessment underscores an urgent need for countries to move beyond political rhetoric and implement concrete, ambitious climate policies that match the scale of the crisis facing our planet.