Scientists make last call for action to save planet
(CNS): A landmark report by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), published Monday, found that “urgent and unprecedented changes” are needed within the next twelve years to prevent environmental break-down. Still wrestling with the politics of denial in the face of what science is telling us about climate change and emissions, the authors of this latest report are describing this as the final warning on the risks of rising global temperatures. The scientists said that the world is now completely off target to keep the rate of warming down to 1.5°C but instead moving towards 3°C. Getting back on track will require “rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society”.
The latest report from the climate change panel was released after a week long meeting in South Korea ahead of the Katowice Climate Change Conference in Poland, set for December, when governments will review the Paris climate change agreement. This latest report includes more than 6,000 scientific references and contributions from thousands of expert and government reviewers worldwide, with 91 authors and review editors from 40 countries preparing the document.
The decisions we make today are critical in ensuring a safe and sustainable world for everyone, both now and in the future, said Debra Roberts, Co-Chair of IPCC Working Group II. “This report gives policymakers and practitioners the information they need to make decisions that tackle climate change while considering local context and people’s needs. The next few years are probably the most important in our history,” she said in a press release about the report.
Panmao Zhai, another co-chair added, “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.”
But limiting global warming to 1.5°C compared to 2°C or more could have a significant impact on global sea level rise, a major issue impacting low lying nations and islands such as Cayman, reducing it by 10cm compared with a 2°C temperature increase.
Coral reefs would decline by 70% to 90% with global warming of 1.5°C rather than being wiped out completely. Meanwhile, the likelihood of an Arctic Ocean free of sea ice in summer would be once per century with global warming of 1.5°C, compared with at least once per decade with 2°C.
“Every extra bit of warming matters, especially since warming of 1.5°C or higher increases the risk associated with long-lasting or irreversible changes, such as the loss of some ecosystems,” said Hans-Otto Pörtner, another co-chair. Limiting global warming would also give people and ecosystems more room to adapt and remain below relevant risk thresholds, he added.
The scientists warn that by 2030 global net human-caused emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) will need to fall by about 45% from 2010 levels, reaching ‘net zero’ around 2050, to prevent the escalation of the impact of climate change, but that means not just stopping producing any more CO2 but removing it from the air.
“Limiting warming to 1.5°C is possible within the laws of chemistry and physics but doing so would require unprecedented changes,” said Jim Skea, another member of the IPCC’s working groups.
Meeting the target to prevent the earth reaching the point of no return will be “hugely expensive — but the window of opportunity remains open,” the researchers warned, as climate models project significant impacts in regional climate characteristics between present-day and global warming of 1.5°C, and between 1.5°C and 2°C.
The report indicates that mean temperature in most land and ocean regions are set to increase but there will be hot extremes in most inhabited regions and heavy precipitation in several regions, along with drought and precipitation deficits in others.
Category: Science & Nature, Weather
It doesn’t matter what the UN says or if they are right or wrong. No government is going to do anything meaningful to prevent climate change.
Too expensive and far better to kick the can down the road.
The responses to this article are the reason we will continue down this path.
Real science: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleontology_in_Tennessee
Here is what *actual scientists* have to say
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://m.youtube.com/user/1000frolly/about&ved=2ahUKEwiL8eDXgfrdAhUJ71MKHTYgCGUQFjALegQIAhAB&usg=AOvVaw2b01iGHyYW-dK9iu86iM_k
CNS: Good grief! You spent 30 seconds on Google and linked to something that means nothing, with no references and no scientists, actual or otherwise, listed. Click here to see the list of authors of the report, scientists who have spent their careers studying this topic. Real scientists. Spend some time on the IPCC website and actually read the document.
Science is not something you vote on.
Are you planning on returning from the dead to apologize to your children for being such an idiot? Better still, don’t procreate.
Just throw the liberal feed and the pigeons will gobble it up! Easy trillions in global carbon taxes. Suckers!!!
Idiot. Parinoid, un-informed idiot.
HAHAHAHAH!! The scientists will save-the-planet. What a bunch of self important douchebags ! How arrogant can these pseudo intellect morons be!?
Shouldn’t the UN be educating the politicians in the world about destroying the ENVIRONMENTS of the world . I think that the politicians are the ones that are making the Laws/decisions that are destroying the ENVIRONMENTS and causing most of the changes .
Well I guess the reef is dying. So whats plan B? Build the dock, At least the temperature underneath the piers will be cooler and help the marine life.
P-f-f-f-f-f-f-t! Now that is really a dumb statement!
Humor is for driftwood.
Yeah. NYC being 50 feet underwater by 2100 is much more intelligent. AL Gore literally predicted total armegeddon within 10 years, 15 years ago . Arent you all tired of being played like a bunch of pigeons?
Anonymous 8 17pm , you’re getting a little bit better at writing a comment , but you still need to go back in the crab hole and practice more , and stop talking about your dock . See Moses has dropped it, why can’t you .
8 :17 ,-are you sure it’s the reef , or you that is dieing .
but the compass says we are so small we can make no difference so it doesn’t matter…..zzzzzzz….classic caymankind nonsense
We should build a cruise berthing facility, that should help.
Thumbs up for the sarcasm
Can’t you hear , I told you to go back in your crab hole and don’t come out writing that kind of bull crap .
Gentle reminder but the following should be taken into account:
Consumer Spending/Consumption is the greatest contributor to the environmental challenges we face.
Women are responsible for influencing 83% of consumer spending.
Until Women’s consumption patterns are addressed, we are all doomed.
Listen! I only have 150 pair of shoes in my closet! Boy, don’t let me slap you! 🙁
Men mostly make up the governments who decide what’s pollution and what’s not. Men are mostly the CEOs of big corporations that dump waste into rivers and oceans. Men controlled the whole Volkswagen emissions scandal. Men fart more too.
You could be right. I will try to cut back on the farts.
Not sure about the farts.
Interesting to note that both of those groups, politicians and corporations, are ultimately catering to female influence. More female voters hence the rise in identity politics and companies catering to female buying influence.
This comment is accurate, although women tend to have a difficult time acknowledging their mistakes.
83% of consumer spending is INFLUENCED by women. Influence is the key word.
How in the world does women’s buying habits have anything to do with climate change? Yes, women require more things but that’s only because we don’t want to run to the grocery store to make food for our family while menstruating all over with our boobs wobbling around and our hair out of control.
I just am having a hard time understanding what you’re trying to say.
Go buy something you don’t need, it will make you feel a lot better.
Okay I get it. Sexism. You hardly see that ever these days (Sarcasm).
When you have to quantify sarcasm, its dead to me.
We’re all going to die!
Lol
that is for sure!!