The SBSTA and SBI considered the final factual report of the structured expert dialogue (SED) of the 2013-2015
Review as well as submissions by Parties.
The SBSTA and SBI, based on consideration of the final factual report and submissions by Parties, noted with
grave concern that, according to the best available scientific knowledge, “significant climate impacts are already
occurring at the current level of global warming and additional magnitudes of warming will only increase the risk
of severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts.“
The SBSTA and SBI further notes, among other inputs captured in the final factual report that are relevant to the
achievement of the ultimate objective of the Convention, that:
“in a world 2 °C warmer than in pre-industrial times, the rate of climate change would become too
rapid for some species to move sufficiently fast and migrate to their preferred temperature zones;
long-term sea level rise may exceed 1 m; Arctic summer sea ice will be further significantly reduced;
some unique systems would be at high risk; the risks of combined ocean warming and acidification
would become high, and, for some phenomena such as mass coral bleaching, very high; and crop
production would be at high risk with some potential for adaptation. Many more moderate and high
risks would emerge: indigenous people would be at risk of loss of land and cultural and natural
heritage, and cultural practices embedded in livelihoods would be disrupted.” 3
The SBSTA and SBI further noted, based on the inputs from the SED report, that limiting global warming to below
1.5 °C would come with several advantages, including avoiding or significantly reducing risks, for example, to
food production or unique and threatened systems such as coral reefs or many parts of the cryosphere, including the
risk of sea level rise.4
Accordingly, SBSTA and SBI recommended that limiting warming to below 1.5°C be used as the benchmark for
the elaboration of the long-term temperature goal and the overall level of mitigation ambition in the work of the
ADP, including for the Secretariat’s synthesis report on the aggregate effect of the intended nationally determined
contributions (iNDCs) communicated by Parties.5
The SBSTA and SBI recommended that the COP adopt a decision that:
(1) Notes that, based on the work of the SED, the goal to hold the increase in global average temperature
below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels is inadequate in view of the ultimate objective of the Convention;
(2) Notes that limiting warming to below 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels would avoid or significantly
reduce impacts, risks, adaptation needs and loss and damage;
(3) Decides that, based on the work of the SED, the goal to hold the increase in global average temperature
below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels is inadequate in view of the ultimate objective of the Convention
and there is therefore a need to strengthen the global goal based upon limiting warming below 1.5°C above
pre-industrial levels; and
(4) Decides to request the IPCC to ensure that the lowest marker scenario to be used in its Sixth Assessment
Report is consistent with limiting warming below 1.5°C by 2100.