UNEP warns of 1.5°C overshoot, highlights
A new UNEP report states global temperature rise will likely cross the 1.5°C threshold within years, advocating an 'overshoot, peak, and decline' pathway.
Global temperature rise is set to cross the 1.5°C threshold, likely within the next few years. This finding comes from a new United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report titled Limiting Overshoot, which identifies an 'overshoot, peak, and decline' pathway as the best remaining option to minimize the impacts. Wetlands International, highlighting the report, states that alongside immediate emissions cuts, restoring ecosystems like wetlands must be prioritized for climate mitigation and adaptation.
Every fraction of a degree above 1.5°C brings exponential impacts. These include unpredictable weather, food system collapse, global water shortages, increasing numbers of climate refugees, and the submersion of low-lying coastal cities. Healthy wetlands are presented as central to reining in this runaway climate change because they are among the most efficient natural carbon stores on Earth.
Wetlands as carbon stores
Different types of wetlands play outsized roles in carbon sequestration. Peatlands, covering only 3-4% of the planet's land surface, contain one-third of the world's soil carbon. This is twice the amount stored in the world's forests. Coastal 'blue carbon' wetlands like mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes sequester carbon below ground, potentially locking it away for centuries. Mangroves alone store up to five times more carbon per area than tropical forests and absorb it from the air about three times as quickly. Research also shows that Amazonian water bodies, including lakes and rivers, capture 39% more carbon per unit area than the rainforest itself.
| Wetland Type | Key Carbon Storage Fact |
|---|---|
| Peatlands | Contain one-third of world's soil carbon, double the carbon in all forests. |
| Mangroves | Store up to 5x more carbon per area than tropical forests; absorb carbon 3x as quickly. |
| Amazonian Water Bodies | Capture 39% more carbon per unit area than the surrounding rainforest. |
Wetlands for disaster resilience
The worsening impacts of the climate crisis are primarily felt through water. Healthy wetlands act as natural buffers for communities against disasters like floods, droughts, and storms. Connected floodplains and free-flowing rivers slow and absorb excess rainfall. These same systems, along with peatlands, store water in wet times and release it slowly during droughts, alleviating water scarcity. Mangroves and seagrass meadows absorb and dissipate wave energy, sheltering coasts from storm surges and rising seas. Also, free-flowing rivers deposit sediment that sustains dynamic deltas, preventing these populated landscapes from disappearing underwater.
A threatened ecosystem
Despite their critical importance, wetlands remain undervalued and overlooked. Multiple pressures including agricultural expansion, pollution, and infrastructure development are driving loss and degradation. Since 1970, approximately 22% of the world's remaining wetlands have been lost. They continue to be destroyed, drained, and degraded at an alarming rate. The 2025 Global Wetland Outlook estimated that 25% of surviving wetlands are now degraded. The climate crisis itself is rapidly becoming a main driver of further wetland loss.
Wetlands International calls for a shift in perspective. "Afforestation is great, but restoring wetlands is better," the organization states. It urges governments to recognize wetlands as climate champions and integrate their protection into national climate plans like Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). The group also calls for mobilizing finance for large-scale restoration, pointing to initiatives like the Mangrove Breakthrough, Freshwater Challenge, and Peatland Breakthrough as important pathways for action. Protecting these ecosystems, they argue, is not optional but essential for building resilience.
