EARTH is careening towards dangerous climate change with new research showing we’ve crossed the halfway point towards a global temperature rise of 2°C.

Figures from January to September this year are already 1.02°C above the average between 1850 and 1900.

If temperatures remain as predicted, 2015 will be the first year to breach this key threshold.

The world would then be half way towards a global temperature rise of 2°C, a threshold scientists say cannot be crossed if we are to avoid some of the most dangerous climate change ‘tipping points’ such as the irreversible melting of the Greenland icesheet or large-scale emission of CO2 and methane from thawing permafrost.

Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie said the new data underscored the inadequacy of Australia’s targets and the urgent need for action.

“It is clear that the climate is changing more quickly and with larger and more damaging impacts than predicted,” Ms McKenzie said.

“The stable climate that we have enjoyed for thousands of years and optimised human civilisation around is collapsing.

“The scientific case for urgent action could not be more clear. Australia’s current commitments are not enough to protect Australians from worsening extreme weather events nor do they represent a fair contribution to the worldwide effort to bring climate change under control.”

The Climate Council is an independent, crowd-funded organisation providing quality information to climate change to the Australian public.

For media enquiries, please contact Head of Communications Jessica Craven on 0400 424 559 or jess@climatecouncil.org.au.