The latest IPCC report focuses on mitigating climate change, to limit warming to 1.5 degrees

What is the IPCC report?

The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) report is a comprehensive scientific assessment of the state of knowledge regarding the Earth’s climate and its changing climate system. The report is in its sixth assessment cycle hence the naming Assessment report 6 (AR6) with three sub reports – the physical science, adaptation & impacts, and the latest one just released March 20th 2023 – mitigation. This report is the product of the collaboration of thousands of climate scientists from around the world who have analysed the latest research and data on climate change, including the impacts, risks, and possible mitigation and adaptation options.

Dave Rouse, CarbonClick CEO, has provided his view on the report

While we’ve recently analysed the previous synthesis reports this report focuses on mitigation which is an area we at CarbonClick are particularly interested in. In particular, how to reduce and absorb greenhouse gas levels from our atmosphere as quickly as possible to mitigate the worst effects which are yet to come, of climate change. 

If we want to limit the worst effects of climate change, we need to limit warming to 1.5 degrees. 

While countries are making efforts to reduce GHG emissions, emissions are still rising every year. We need to seriously reduce emissions to match what nature can absorb back, otherwise the problem continues to worsen. 

We need to achieve considerably lower emissions every year until we reach a point where the same amount being emitted is equal to that which is being retracted, and that’s where we at least don’t make climate change worse than it has already become.

Some countries’ new NDC (nationally determined contribution) targets are insufficient to limit warming to 1.5 degrees.

We’re continuing to head towards disaster and we forget about the increasing extreme weather events impacting ourselves, our loved ones, but also our food crops and pricing. We seem incapable of bridging that connection between the disasters we complain about, and what we’re doing and buying that is contributing to these disasters.

Net Zero 2050 means we can only emit 510 Gt CO2 between now and then, but the existing and planned fossil fuel infrastructure alone emits more than this, totalling 850 Gt CO2, or 340Gt overshoot. (67% more on the current course than we need for 1.5 degrees). 

Bear in mind the target we are working towards, 1.5 degrees, and Net Zero emissions by 2050 doesn’t mean the problem has stopped, it just means that’s the point it stops getting worse each year. It is a scary concept, given the current disasters are a light teaser of what climate change is already sending our way now. 

Here are the action points from the IPCC report:

Energy:

• We need rapid transformations across all systems, including cancelling new coal projects, retrofitting existing coal power plants with CCS technologies and international development banks to stop funding new coal project opportunities. 
• We need development of alternative energy including SAF, Hydrogen, Ammonia and biofuels for transport sectors where electrification is difficult, like aviation, long haul logistics and shipping. 
• We need to reduce energy demand through circular economy solutions: taking reuse and recycling to the next level, and switching to low emission industrial processes for steel, cement, plastic, pulp & paper, chemicals, and incentivising green buildings. 
• The transport & aviation sector is on a trajectory to increase emissions up to 50% by 2050 (source). So, we need to redesign cities and a shift to low carbon transport. It can be as simple as bikes and public transport encouragement, building up around transport hubs that eliminate the need for cars and free parking at hubs that link the wider car communities into the public transport network.
• Universal access to modern energy for the world’s poorest would not significantly impact global emissions, as they consume such low energy by comparison. 

Lifestyle:

A change in lifestyle and behaviour is needed, especially amongst top decile households in developed countries, who are responsible for 36-45% of total emissions, compared to families in the bottom 50% account for just 13-15% (source). 

• Walking or cycling, avoiding long haul flights, shifting to plant based diets, cutting food waste, using energy more efficiently in buildings are the most effective demand side mitigation options. 
• Policymakers can make this easier by subsidising low emissions options including EVs, clean public transport, and taxing fossil fueled cars & fuels, and allocating street space for bike lanes to help people transition to these lower emissions lifestyles, while improving physical and mental health as a co-benefit. 
• Another larger reduction can be achieved through improving the food systems: by curbing food waste and shifting to more sustainable diets, which has a flow on effect of reducing demand for deforestation which alone accounts for 45% of the land sector emissions! 

Environmental:

• Focus on improving ecosystems: IPCC finds protecting, restoring, and sustainably managing carbon rich ecosystems like forests and peatlands, can mitigate around 8 Gt CO2e per year, so these nature based solutions have the capacity to offset almost half of the problem ahead of us, if aggressively implemented as fast as possible. 
  

Ultimately we need GHG emissions to peak by 2025, and see reductions in gross emissions beyond that. Climate finance needs to increase 3-6 fold by 2030 and limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees will be impossible without carbon removal from both nature based, on land and sea, and technology based. 

You can view the full report here.

How can CarbonClick help?

CarbonClick sources high-integrity climate projects around the world, vetted to strictest quality criteria. These projects reduce or remove carbon from the atmosphere, and help restore and protect ecosystems. High quality carbon offsetting needs to be utilised to complement reduction strategies. Talk to us here to find out more.