A2 · ElementaryAdapted from ElDiario.es

Global Warming: What Does Passing 1.5°C Really Mean?

El planeta se calienta: ¿qué significa superar 1,5 °C?

Sep 2, 20261 min readGraded Spanish · word-by-word audio

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La ONU dice que la temperatura del planeta va a superar pronto el límite de 1,5 grados.

Pero también hay esperanza. Si reducimos las emisiones de gases ahora, podemos bajar la temperatura otra vez. Los expertos dicen que es necesario actuar rápido y trabajar juntos para proteger el planeta.

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Watch out, English speaker

Spanish uses ir a + infinitive for near-future events, just like English 'be going to'. But unlike English, the verb ir must be conjugated to match the subject: 'La temperatura va a superar' (The temperature is going to exceed). English speakers often forget to conjugate ir, saying 'La temperatura ir a superar', which is incorrect. In real conditional sentences with si + present, Spanish uses the present tense in both clauses, similar to English 'if we reduce, we can lower'. However, English sometimes uses 'will' in the main clause ('if we reduce, we will lower'), but Spanish never uses the future tense after si. So 'Si reducimos, podremos bajar' is wrong; it must be 'Si reducimos, podemos bajar' or use another structure.

Key vocabulary

temperaturaf.
temperature
“La temperatura del planeta está subiendo.”— The planet's temperature is rising.
Pattern la temperatura del planeta the planet's temperature
Compare calor (m.) heat
Plural: temperaturas
💡 From Latin temperare, meaning 'to regulate'.
límitem.
limit, boundary
“No debemos superar el límite de 1,5 grados.”— We must not exceed the limit of 1.5 degrees.
Pattern superar el límite to exceed the limit
Compare frontera (f.) border
Plural: límites
💡 Cognate with English limit.
cambio climáticom.
climate change
“El cambio climático afecta a todo el mundo.”— Climate change affects the whole world.
Pattern el cambio climático global global climate change
Compare calentamiento global (m.) global warming
No plural
💡 cambio comes from cambiar (to change), climático comes from clima.
inevitableadj.
unavoidable, inevitable
“Superar el límite es inevitable.”— Exceeding the limit is inevitable.
Pattern es inevitable + infinitivo it is inevitable to...
Compare seguro (adj.) certain
Plural: inevitables
💡 The prefix in- indicates negation, evitable means 'avoidable'.
emisionesf. pl.
emissions (plural)
“Las emisiones de gases causan el calentamiento.”— Gas emissions cause global warming.
Pattern emisiones de gases gas emissions
Compare liberación (f.) release
Singular: emisión
💡 From the verb emitir (to emit, to release).
reducirv.
to reduce
“Debemos reducir las emisiones de CO₂.”— We must reduce CO₂ emissions.
Pattern reducir las emisiones to reduce emissions
Compare disminuir (v.) to decrease
Present: reduzco, reduces, reduce
💡 Cognate with English reduce.
esperanzaf.
hope
“Todavía hay esperanza para el planeta.”— There is still hope for the planet.
Pattern tener esperanza to have hope
Compare ilusión (f.) expectation
Plural: esperanzas
💡 From the verb esperar (to hope).
protegerv.
to protect
“Todos podemos proteger el medio ambiente.”— We can all protect the environment.
Pattern proteger el planeta to protect the planet
Compare cuidar (v.) to care for
Present: protejo, proteges, protege
💡 Cognate with English protect.

Grammar spotlight

ir a + infinitive (to express imminent future)

Use ir a + infinitive to say that something is going to happen soon, equivalent to English 'be going to'. The verb ir is conjugated, but the main verb stays in the infinitive.

“La temperatura va a superar el límite.”— The temperature is going to exceed the limit.

⚠️ Don't forget to use the infinitive after a, not a conjugated form.

si + present tense, main clause in present tense (real conditional)

Use si to introduce a condition meaning 'if... then...'. When the condition is likely or possible, both the si-clause and the main clause use the present tense.

“Si reducimos las emisiones, podemos bajar la temperatura.”— If we reduce emissions, we can lower the temperature.

⚠️ Don't use the future tense in the si-clause; use the present tense instead.

Sentence patterns to steal

La ONU dice que la temperatura del planeta va a superar pronto el límite de 1,5 grados.
The UN says that the planet's temperature is going to exceed the 1.5 degree limit soon.
Subject + dice que + sentence (with ir a + infinitive)Replace 'la temperatura del planeta' with another topic, such as 'el nivel del mar' (sea level).
Este límite es muy importante para evitar los peores efectos del cambio climático.
This limit is very important to avoid the worst effects of climate change.
Noun + es muy importante para + infinitiveReplace 'evitar' with another verb, such as 'reducir' (reduce).
Si reducimos las emisiones de gases ahora, podemos bajar la temperatura otra vez.
If we reduce greenhouse gas emissions now, we can lower the temperature again.
Si + present, podemos + infinitiveReplace 'reducir' with another verb, such as 'actuar' (act).

The Paris Agreement and the 1.5°C Target

The Paris Agreement is a climate treaty signed by nearly 200 countries in 2015. Its goal is to keep global warming well below 2°C by the end of this century and to pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C. The 1.5°C threshold is considered crucial to avoid the most extreme climate impacts.

Source: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

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