A world with a 3°C temperature increase would be marked by brutal heatwaves and cities partially submerged by rising sea levels.

A Guardian survey of hundreds of leading climate experts suggests that global heating is likely to surpass internationally agreed limits, leading to catastrophic heatwaves, floods, and storms.

Only 6% of the respondents believed that the 1.5°C limit could be achieved, emphasizing the need for exceptionally swift and radical action to halt and reverse the world’s escalating emissions from fossil fuel burning.

Nevertheless, the experts were adamant that surrendering was not an option and that achieving 1.5°C was not a precipice leading to a drastic change in climate damage. Instead, they emphasized that the climate crisis escalates gradually, highlighting that every tonne of CO2 avoided diminishes human suffering.