Johannesburg - The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, released a few days ago, paints a dark, or rather fiery, future for the planet in the coming years.
The decade following 2010 saw average annual global greenhouse gas emissions at their highest levels in human history, but the rate of growth has slowed.
Without immediate and deep emissions reductions across all sectors, limiting global warming to 1.5ºC is beyond reach. However, there is increasing evidence of climate action, said scientists in the latest IPCC report.
The 2010s saw a steady and consistent decline of costs associated with solar and wind power generation and battery storage units along with a growing range of policies and legislation which have enhanced energy efficiency, reduced rates of deforestation and accelerated the deployment of renewable energy.
“We are at a crossroads. The decisions we make now can secure a liveable future. We have the tools and know-how required to limit warming,” IPCC chairperson Hoesung Lee said.
“I am encouraged by climate action being taken in many countries. There are policies, regulations and market instruments that are proving effective,” Lee said.
“If these are scaled up and applied more widely and equitably, they can support deep emissions reductions and stimulate innovation.”
The IPCC Working Group III report, titled “Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change”, was approved on April 4, 2022, by 195 member governments of the IPCC through a virtual approval session that started on March 21.
It is the third instalment of the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), which will be completed before the end of this year.
The report states that the world has options in all sectors to halve emissions by 2030, at the very least.
Limiting global warming will require major transitions in the energy sector, such as a substantial reduction in fossil fuel use, widespread electrification, improved energy efficiency, and use of alternative fuels such as hydrogen.
“Having the right policies, infrastructure and technology in place to enable changes to our lifestyles and behaviour can result in a 40 to 70% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This offers significant untapped potential,” said IPCC Working Group III co-chairperson Priyadarshi Shukla.
“The evidence also shows that these lifestyle changes can improve our health and well-being.”
The report highlights the important role cities and other urban areas must play in reducing global emissions.
These opportunities for emissions reductions can be achieved through lower energy consumption, such as by creating compact, walkable cities, electrification of transport in combination with low-emission energy sources, and enhanced carbon uptake and storage using nature.
“We see examples of zero-energy or zero-carbon buildings in almost all climates,” said IPCC Working Group III co-chairperson Jim Skea.
“Action in this decade is critical to capture the mitigation potential of buildings.”
Reducing emissions in industry will involve using materials more efficiently, reusing and recycling products and minimising waste.
For basic materials, including steel, building materials and chemicals, low- to zero-greenhouse gas production processes are at the beginning stages of development but are rapidly approaching completion.
Heavy industry accounts for around 25% of global greenhouse gas emissions, thus, achieving net zero will be significantly challenging and will require new, innovative production processes, low- and zero-emissions electricity, hydrogen, and, where necessary, carbon capture and storage.
Agriculture, forestry, and other land use can provide large-scale emissions reductions and also remove and store carbon dioxide at scale. However, land cannot compensate for delayed emissions reductions in other sectors. Response options can benefit biodiversity, help us adapt to climate change, and secure livelihoods, food and water, and wood supplies.
The evidence is clear: we have to act now. We can halve emissions by 2030. We don’t have a choice.
IOL