Why the Paris Agreement may not help the Arctic

A new report by the UN Environment finds that even if the world was to adhere to the goals of the Paris Agreement to cut emissions, the Arctic winter will still face a 3-5 degree rise in temperature by 2050. The study finds that even if global emissions were to halt overnight, this increase is locked into the climate system by greenhouse gases already emitted and ocean heat storage. In addition, the pollution and acidification of oceans will pose a threat to the Arctic, and thawing permafrost may derail the global climate goals altogether. The members of the UN Environment assembly are currently working on setting environmental priorities for the coming years and committing to action.