The latest United Nations report on climate change is further proof that not enough is being done to limit global warming.
The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warned that 'rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes' in all aspects of society' was required just to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees.
A new assessment was released by the IPCC this month in preparation for the next climate change conference in Poland in December when governments review the Paris Agreement of 2015.
“One of the key messages that comes out very strongly from this report is that we are already seeing the consequences of 1°C of global warming through more extreme weather, rising sea levels and diminishing Arctic sea ice, among other changes,” the co-chair of the IPCC Working Group, Panmao Zhai, said.
The report found that limiting global warming to 1.5°C would require “rapid and far-reaching” transitions in land, energy, industry, buildings, transport, and cities. Global net human-caused emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) would need to fall by about 45 per cent from 2010 levels by 2030, reaching ‘net zero’ around 2050.
IPCC Working Group co chair, Jim Skea, said to limit warming to 1.5ºC is possible within the laws of chemistry and physics but doing so would require unprecedented changes.
Oxfam Australia's climate change adviser, Dr Simon Bradshaw, said the world is presently on track for around 3°C of warming – a level that would put the very future of human civilization in jeopardy.
“Significantly, the report shows achieving far more rapid reductions in climate pollution between now and 2030 will greatly increase the chances of limiting warming to 1.5°C and avoid extremely costly trade-offs further down the line,” he said.
“It beggars belief that in the face of such evidence, Australia’s emissions are continuing to rise and our Government has no plan to break free from fossil fuels and tackle the climate crisis.
“This landmark report from the world’s foremost scientific authority on climate change reveals the extraordinary gap between Australia’s current commitments to tackling climate change and the scale and pace of action needed to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement .”
Dr Bradshaw said to limit warming to 1.5C would require the very rapid decarbonisation of the global economy.
“For Australia, this means no new coal, a shift to 100 % renewable energy as soon as possible, and reaching zero emissions well before mid-century,” he said.
“If all countries were to follow Australia’s example, we would be heading for a world of devastating hunger, crushing inequality and mass displacement.”