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Climate Catastrophe: New Report Warns Of A ‘Code Red For Humanity’

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The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has released a sobering report on the state of humanity’s damaging impact on the climate. UN scientists have highlighted that the findings of this report are a “statement of fact”.

This is the first of a series of reports that will be published in the coming months ahead of a key climate summit in Glasgow known as the COP26. It will be the follow-up conference to that of 2015’s Paris Climate Accord.

According to the IPPC’s document, “it is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, oceans and land”.

What does the report say?

This report brings to light what humanity can expect going forwards as things stand currently. A key aspect of this report has also been the expected rate of temperature rises and what this means for the safety of humanity.

Currently, we are approaching a tipping point and already we have made irreversible damage to our environment and the natural systems of the Earth.

A rise in sea levels above 2m by the end of the century “cannot be ruled out” any longer. It is also now estimated that we are hurtling towards smashing past targets of keeping temperatures under 2C and 1.5C within a decade.

The new report also makes it clear that Earth has reached a point where climate change has made changes to our planetary support systems that are irreversible on the timescales of centuries or millennia.

Facts from the report

It is clear that the past few years have been hotter than most in living memory can remember. The report has found that the past five years have been the hottest on record since 1850.

Things are also set to worsen in the coming years unless things are stopped now.

Global surface temperatures were 1.09C higher in the decade between 2011-2020 than 1850-1900. It is also now certain that hot, extreme weather (including heatwaves) have become more frequent since the 1950s. Additionally, cold weather is far less frequent and less severe.

Moreover, the rate of rising sea levels has tripled compared to 1901-1971.

At this point, humanity’s effect as the main driver of climate change is now undeniable. Polar and mountain glaciers are expected to continue melting for decades or centuries to come.

We will face worsening consequences for every single bit of warming that we face. Many of these consequences will also be irreversible at this point.

Looking ahead to the future, the predictions of climate change’s impact paints a stark picture of the world if deep emissions cuts are not made in the coming few years.

If we do not, we can expect:

  • A practically ice-free Arctic in September at least once before 2050 in all scenarios assessed.
  • An increase in the occurrence of extreme weather at an unprecedented historical level, even if we only reach 1.5C warming
  • Temperatures will reach 1.5C above 1850-1900 levels by 2040 under all emissions scenarios (even as early as 2034).
  • Wildfires will only increase in countless regions
  • Extreme sea-level events that occur once per century are projected to occur at least once annually at more than half of tidal gauge locations by 2100.
  • A potential rise of 5m in sea levels by 2150

Is there hope?

While the report is a bleak snippet of what life may be like if governments, corporations and even people wake up to the threat we face, there is hope.

The IPPC has made it clear that these are what we will face unless we make rapid changes in the next few years. If we do not, Earth will reach a tipping point that we may never be able to return from.

Regarding the report, UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated that “today’s IPCC Working Group 1 Report is a code red for humanity”.

Yet, he highlighted that “if we combined forces now, we can avert climate catastrophe. But, as today’s report makes clear, there is no time for delay and no room for excuses. I count on government leaders and all stakeholders to ensure COP26 is a success”.

Scientists are now hopeful that reaching net-zero emissions will stop all temperature increases. They also believe that it is possible to half global emissions by 2030 and net-zero by 2050 if we act now.

“The thought before was that we could get increasing temperatures even after net zero,” said co-author, Prof Piers Forster from the University of Leeds, UK.

“But we now expect nature to be kind to us and if we are able to achieve net-zero, we hopefully won’t get any further temperature increase; and if we are able to achieve net-zero greenhouse gases, we should eventually be able to reverse some of that temperature increase and get some cooling.”

It will also be necessary to reduce our waste. The use of plastic and our ‘use-then-throw’ culture needs to stop, especially in Malta.

One crucial step in the right direction on this front will be reducing plastic, starting with the EU’s ban on single-use plastic. Fortunately, on this front, politicians are rallying towards its support.

Where the world stands now, the situation is dire – but we are not doomed. Not yet. The coming months and years will define whether humanity is able to halt the damage it is doing to the environment or worsen it.

This is not the first report of its kind – nor will it be the last. However, it comes less than three months before a crucial climate conference. As such, it holds more meat than others for political leaders to weigh in on.

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An avid lover of food, music, film and gaming with a staunch belief in a greener future.

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