Scientists: 3°C by 2050, 5°C by 2100

Source: DPG and DMG

The German Physical society (DPG) and the German metrological society (DMG) jointly issued a dire warning, stating if the current trends continue, global warming could reach 3°C above pre-industrial levels by about 2050, and up to 5°C by 2100. That would mean the next 30 years see as much as warming as we had in the last 150 years. These projections far exceed the 1.5°C to 2°C targets of the Paris Agreement and underscore an urgent need for action.

Why This Matters

• Warming Records: Global average temperatures have now reached ~1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

• Extreme Impacts: If this pace continues, warming ~3°C by 2050 could become reality. That would intensify heatwaves, droughts, wildfires, floods and crop failures.

• Ambition Gap: Scientists warn that current climate pledges leave a huge “ambition gap.” At the present trajectory, the Paris targets (well below 2°C, ideally 1.5°C) will be missed. Without immediate action, models show 2–5°C warming by 2100, with ~3°C possible by mid-century.

• Health & Economy: Climate-fueled extremes endanger health and prosperity. The 2024 Lancet Countdown finds “record-breaking threats” to wellbeing from heat, floods and disease, driven by delayed climate action.

• Known Solutions Exist: The science is clear that cutting CO₂ works. Renewable energy, reforestation can bend the curve. Every year of delay makes the job harder and costlier. The DMG/DPG statement emphasizes that effective climate policy is well-known, and pushing it off “only worsens future risks”

The message impacts investors and industries directly. World's largest Oil and gas companies are planning to increase their fossil fuel production and are on track to overshoot their Paris-aligned carbon budget by almost 190%. This path exposes investors to stranded assets and financial risk as regulations tighten. By contrast, data show renewable energy and clean technologies are growing fast and the investments grew 10% in 2023, exceeding fossil fuel investment. Supporting fossil fuels only deepens the climate crisis, while shifting capital toward low-carbon solutions reduces risk and opens new markets. Companies now face growing pressure to align with science-based climate targets, not just to protect the planet, but to safeguard their own future competitiveness

Action Items

• Investors: Assess climate risk in portfolios. Divest from high-carbon assets; increase funding for renewables, and clean tech. Encourage companies to set science-based emissions targets and disclose climate risks.

• Companies: Pledge ambitious emissions cuts. Invest in clean energy and products that are eco-friendly. Incorporate climate risk into business plans.

• Policymakers: Implement stronger carbon pricing, green subsidies and regulations. Fund clean energy infrastructure and nature-based solutions. Work internationally to share technology and finance with developing countries.

• Readers: Learn and spread awareness. Vote and advocate for stronger climate policies.

Each audience has a role. The joint DMG/DPG call makes clear that urgent, decisive action by all sectors is needed now to steer away from the 3°C trajectory and protect people and the planet.