Ice loss from the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets has quadrupled since the 1990s. This has raised concerns about their future stability and focused attention on the temperature thresholds that might trigger more rapid retreat or even collapse, with renewed calls to meet the more ambitious target of the Paris Climate Agreement and limit warming to 1.5°C. This side event summarized recent evidence to show that 1.5°C is too high and that even current temperatures (1.2°C), if sustained, is likely to generate several meters of sea-level rise over the coming centuries, causing extensive loss and damage and challenging adaptation measures. This can only be avoided through a global mean temperature cooler than present, highlighting the need to rapidly reduce emissions and reinforcing recent calls for a stricter and more ambitious long-term temperature goal. Speakers included one of the authors on the paper noted above, Dr. Ricarda Winkelmann, Potsdam-Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and Max-Planck Institute for Geoanthropology; and Dr. Chris Stokes, Durham University.
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By Science Writing Intern Haily Landrigan, Global Outreach Director Amy Imdieke, and ICCI Director Pam Pearson.
Published Jan. 9, 2026 Updated Jan. 9, 2026 8:40 pm
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