One day ahead of the EU Environment Ministers meeting expected to adopt the EU?s position for the upcoming UN Climate Summit COP24, the world?s leading body of climate scientists gave strong scientific evidence for the need to keep temperature rise to 1.5°C.
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The new IPCC report, ordered and endorsed by all world?s governments, showed that many of the dire consequences of future warming can be avoided by respecting this limit. It also confirmed that it is still possible, but requires a rapid and far-reaching shift across all sectors of the economy.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) special report released today offers the most comprehensive and authoritative assessment of the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and the action needed to stay below this threshold. It proves beyond doubt that staying below 1.5°C will significantly reduce the damage from climate change for the poorest and most vulnerable countries, but also for all Europeans.
Wendel Trio, Director of Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe said: ?Science has given us a message of both urgency and hope. It has made it crystal clear that warming of more than 1.5°C would result in ever wilder extreme weather events. These in turn would expose us to greater drought, food shortages and economic devastation. The silver lining to the report is that we still have a chance to stay below 1.5°C, that solutions are within our reach and that it will help us build a safer, more prosperous Europe.?
Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, former IPCC Vice-Chair, professor of climate sciences at UCLouvain, Belgium said: ?Climate change is threatening all forms of life on this planet. This report says the crash is avoidable, and that reducing CO2 emissions to zero is an urgent necessity. And it?s doable. We owe that to our kids, and to all young people who would have to live on a too hot planet otherwise.?
The new IPCC report clearly states that if we are to stay below 1.5°C, we need an unprecedented shift, including accelerating the transition towards a 100% renewable energy system and the replacement of all dirty energy. The IPCC report also proves that through this transformation we can create a safer and more prosperous future.
Wendel Trio added: ?The IPCC scientists are sending this message ahead of the all-important COP24 summit in Katowice this year, where governments are expected to commit to step up their climate targets. All eyes are on EU environment ministers now, who need to act on the IPCC warnings and commit to significantly increase the EU?s 2030 target well beyond 45%, to be in line with the IPCC’s recommendations on 1.5°C pathways. Staying below 1.5°C means Europe needs to drastically reduce emissions to reach net-zero by 2040 and this needs to be reflected in the new long-term climate strategy.?
Sandrine Dixson-Declève, Member of The Club of Rome and Special Advisor to Business and Governments said: ?The new IPCC report clearly states that if we are to stay below 1.5°C, we need an unprecedented acceleration towards a low carbon economy. A transformational versus incremental change is necessary. The IPCC report repeats what many other reports have indicated: we have the technological solutions and we have the money to get this done. What we now need is the political will and the regulatory conditions for all industrial and financial actors to contribute so the necessary trillions can flow. At the Club of Rome we are drafting a Climate Emergency Plan in direct response to the IPCC report and UN Secretary General Guterres? recent call for urgency. We will call upon all government and business leaders to show they are stepping up their ambition. For governments this should include commitments for faster reductions in carbon emissions and clear policies to help businesses innovate. For business this means a faster shift from fossil energy and new business models that fully embrace decarbonization. I have faith that if we take on this challenge together, we will create the basis for a societal renaissance of unprecedented proportions.?
Prof. Dr. Eckart Würzner, Mayor of Heidelberg, Germany said: ?Many cities and regions in Europe have prepared and are in the process of delivering their 2050 climate and energy strategies. Their responses are based on the latest scientific thinking. In light of the latest news of the IPCC 1.5 Degree report, rapid change and widespread societal transformation are needed. The climate and energy policies shift is not an adjustment variable for the European Union project but on the contrary, it is the next step of its development. The transformation is a driving force that brings benefits across all sectors and for all levels of society through the creation of sustainable jobs and investment opportunities, the improvement of health and the quality of life and by addressing social inequalities. It is also an absolute need to prevent geopolitical threats and ensure global stability.?
