Climate change is happening more quickly and the planet is warming rapidly. Its impacts are progressively getting worse, but it’s not too late to act to avert climate catastrophe, say Australian National University scientists who contributed to the latest global report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Change. Climate .
“The latest IPCC report raises many alarm bells that we cannot ignore”, says Professor Mark Howden, one of the authors of the report. “He makes it clear that climate change has rapidly altered the atmosphere, oceans, land and ice-covered areas. This has led to more severe extreme weather events and widespread negative impacts on lives, livelihoods and natural systems.”.
Under almost all emission scenarios, scientists say, warming will reach 1.5 degrees Celsius within a decade. However, if we act quickly and decisively, we can still save the planet from the effects of much more excessive warming.
“The decisions we make now will have consequences for decades and potentially thousands of years.”, warns the Australian scientist.
The IPCC itself emphasizes that immediate action on climate change can still have huge benefits if we are to limit warming to manageable levels in the coming decades.
“Each increment of avoided warming reduces future damage and risks from climate change. And every ton of avoided emissions means less warming.”explains Prof. Frank Jotzo, another lead author on the report.
“If we continue as usual, we will not be able to keep the global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius”, clarifies Jotzo. “The good news is that there is already a lot of action underway and a lot of opportunity to act. We know what to do and we have the technology”.
These actions include turning the global economy onto a net-zero CO2 path through low-cost means that can also bring other environmental benefits, says the scientist.
“Examples include the shift from coal to clean energy, better land management and agricultural practices, and the initial shift to electric vehicles.Jotz explains.
“Experience shows that clean technology quickly becomes cheaper when governments implement the right policies and companies invest at scale.“, he adds.
“The urgency is growing, but so is the opportunity to act to reduce emissions.”.
It’s time to stop the actions that are rapidly warming the planet.