Just 20 countries produce 80% of the world's carbon emissions.

And right now, those countries are not doing enough to prevent the most extreme effects of climate change.

If there is no meaningful reduction of emissions in the next decade,

we will have lost forever the possibility of reaching 1.5 degrees.

So, this is a moment of truce.

That was UN Secretary General Antonio Gutarrez days ago describing a new UN report that warned of a tipping point.

That tipping point is the year 2030.

Scientists say global emissions need to fall 45% compared to 2010 levels

in order to keep global warming below that crucial threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius.

But based on current commitments from some of the world's biggest polluters,

emissions will rise by 16%.

The big question at a global climate summit that kicks off this week in Glasgow, Scotland,

is can the world's biggest polluters do more?

The clock is ticking. The emissions gap is the result of a leadership gap.

But leaders can still make this a turning point to the inner future instead of a tipping point to climate catastrophe.

Consider this. Scientists say to avoid catastrophe, countries need to set much more aggressive goals for limiting carbon emissions.

Our international correspondence explain why some of the world's biggest polluters still have a long way to go.

From NPR, I'm Ari Shapiro. It's Monday, November 1st.

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