It has been almost eight years since 195 countries signed the Paris Agreement and promised to cut their emissions.
The United Nations measured their progress in its latest report, part of an overall 'global stocktake' that will form the basis of the COP28 summit later this year.
University of Canterbury political science professor Bronwyn Hayward said the results were mixed.
"This is telling us how the world is progressing, which is not well," she said.
"Not as absolutely terrible as it could be, but we're still heading for a 2.5C warmer world."