UN: Cut emissions by 18% in four years to avoid climate disaster

The world must cut carbon emissions by nearly one-fifth in the next four years, and by almost half within a decade, to avoid a disastrous overshoot of climate targets, the UN Environment Programme (Unep) said. The "window has closed" on holding temperature rises to 1.5C, the level scientists say is needed to prevent the worst climate impacts. However, Unep said limiting the overshoot of that target is still possible. The agency called for urgent action to close the gap between current emissions and the cuts needed.