|
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the world’s leading authority on climate research, released a new comprehensive report yesterday, finding that meeting the goal of the 2015 Paris Climate Accords to prevent global warming of more than 2 degrees Celsius at least, or a more ambitious 1.5 degrees is still possible, though it will require a fundamental overhaul of nearly every aspect of human life.
The new report is the third and final installment in a major three-part climate assessment by the IPCC, detailing the steps human societies can take to mitigate climate change. “The IPCC report before us today is powerful evidence that we have the great potential to mitigate climate change,” said Hoesung Lee, chair of the IPCC, at a virtual presentation of the findings yesterday. “We are at a crossroads. This is the time for action. We have the tools and know-how to limit warming and secure a livable future.”
Currently, global greenhouse gas emissions are still rising, despite a brief and temporary decline during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. To meet the 1.5 C threshold outlined in the Paris agreement, emissions would need to immediately peak and then fall by nearly half by 2030 across all sectors of society, including energy, transportation, industry, buildings, and land use.
“It’s now or never, if we want to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius,” said Jim Skea, a co-chair of the IPCC working group that prepared the report. “Without immediate and deep emissions reductions across all sectors, it will be impossible.”
|
We are looking down the barrel of a loaded gun with our water resources in the West. Rather than investing in body armor, we’ve been hoping that the trigger won’t be pulled."
