Focus of the IPCC Assessment Reports Has Shifted to Lower Temperatures

We focus on how different global temperature increases represented in IPCC reports have shifted over time. While the first four assessment reports had a roughly equal focus on temperatures above and below 2 degrees C, the more recent fifth and sixth assessment reports have a considerably stronger focus on warming below 2 degrees C. This is concerning as warming above 2 degrees C is more likely given current emissions trajectories and is more influential on climate risk assessments.