A new climate report has debunked a belief that Covid-19 has been beneficial to the environment, revealing that the pandemic has not halted the advance of climate change.

According to the multi-agency United in Science 2021 report, published today (Thursday, September 16), despite a "temporary blip" due to economic slowdown, carbon dioxide emissions are "rapidly recovering".

Published by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the report also reveals that greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations in the atmosphere continue at record levels, committing the planet to dangerous future warming.

The average global temperature for the past five years was among the highest on record and there is an increasing likelihood that temperatures will temporarily breach the threshold of 1.5° above the pre-industrial era, in the next five years, the report also said.

The report also warned that low-lying islands and coastal populations throughout the world are at risk, even with ambitious plans to slow GHG emissions.

The United in Science 2021 report, the third in a series, is coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO); with input from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP); the World Health Organization (WHO); the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); the Global Carbon Project (GCP); the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP); and the Met Office (UK).

It presents the very latest scientific data and findings related to climate change to inform global policy and action.

Some key points: