Emissions need to be halved by 2030 to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius but temperatures are on track to reach double that by the end of the century even if countries’ current plans are fully implemented, research by scientists shows.

A group of European researchers, Climate Action Tracker, tracks countries’ progress towards the globally agreed aim of limiting warming to well below 2°C and a more ambitious target of 1.5°C.

Public concerns about climate change are growing and have led to protests around the world.

However, energy-related carbon dioxide emissions were at a record high last year and new renewable power capacity has stalled after years of strong growth, according to Reuters.

At the same time, methane, a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, has risen in recent years due to oil and gas production, including fracking.

If nations fully implement the plans they made under the 2015 Paris Agreement, temperature rise is on track to reach 3°C by the end of the century, just slightly lower than the 3.3°C rise the tracker forecast last December.