From spontaneous forest fires to scorching heatwaves and melting ice caps, the effects of climate change are real and alarming. Recently, the UN scientists have groped the climate change topic in a serious manner and have laid out a strategic plan, which, they believe could help people avoid the worst impacts of rising temperatures.
Summarization of the Report
To begin with, the report calls for a revolution in the way we produce energy and power on the planet. Generated by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), it suggests reducing carbon emissions. However, the technology to pull a significant amount of carbon dioxide from the air will be required to keep the temperatures down.
Here’s what the scientists suggest is critical to keeping the world safe and why they do so:
1. New Coal Plants
“No new coal plants” is the prime and foremost message by the UN for saving the planet from impending doom. To keep the world under 1.5C requires emissions to peak by 2025 and shrink by 43% by the end of this decade.
Why No Coal?
The burning of fossil fuels contributes to massive carbon emissions, which in turn results in global warming. Therefore, switching to renewable sources of energy, such as solar and wind, can be an effective way to generate energy.
2. Technological Fix
In the past, several ideas for a technological fix to climate change have been laid out on the table. They were mocked, knocked, or blocked out due to factors like the expensive nature of technology and the unavailability of resources. Now that climate change has escalated and cutting CO2 emissions seems difficult, it seems a good time to look back at technology again.
Why Technological Fix?
The idea of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) has now gone fully mainstream with the endorsement of the IPCC in this latest report. Keeping temperatures down won’t really be possible without some form of removal, be it via trees or air filtering machines.
3. Curbing Energy Dependency
The IPCC believes changes in these areas could limit emissions from end-use sectors by 40-70% by 2050 while improving well-being. Electric cars can make a big difference to emissions from transport but need investment in charging technology to speed the uptake.
How reducing dependency can help?
Reducing our dependency on energy could be a key player. By reducing people’s demand for energy in the areas of shelter, mobility and nutrition, we can shift to carbon-friendly options.
4. Eco-investing
Despite the preaches on sustainability and environmental friendliness, a lot of cash is flowing toward fossil fuels and not clean energy climate solutions. If fossil fuel subsidies from governments were removed, this would reduce emissions by up to 10% by 2030.
Why Eco-investment?
For a long, combating climate change has been delayed due to the (perceived) high-cost implications. However, this notion has changed in recent years as the financial toll of climate disasters has steadily climbed.
5. Riches to the rescue
According to the IPCC, the 10% of households with the highest per capita emissions contribute up to 45% of consumption-based household greenhouse gas emissions. The world’s richest people are spending way too much of their money on mobility, including on private jets. Wealthy individuals can help the world go net-zero.
Why Wealthy Individuals?
Wealthy individuals contribute disproportionately to higher emissions but they have a high potential for emissions reductions, whilst maintaining high levels of well-being and a decent living standard.
Related: 20 Climate Change Quotes by Inspirational Leaders to Ignite Transformation
