Earlier this morning, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its 5th Synthesis Report, calling for immediate action and large investments to shift from a fossil fuel driven world economy to one sustained by renewable energies.
The report finds that global warming is unequivocal, that ensuing changes in climate are unprecedented and that fossil fuels must be phased out by 2100.
To ensure the global temperature does not rise about 2 degrees, scientists suggest a shift in the global economy, calling for a $147 billion annual investment in low carbon renewable energies and a concurrent annual decrease of $30 billion in fossil fuel generation .
Energy efficiency, they note, also mandates directing $336 billion annually to improving energy efficiency of existing buildings and factories and transportation infrastructure.
The first part of the report provides a comprehensive overview of what is occurring: emissions are increasing, it's getting warmer, sea levels are rising, and rainfall patterns are changing. In the second part of the report, the IPCC focuses on climate change impacts, determining that we are already experiencing flooding, a disruption in the distributiion of food supplies and species migrations and extinctions.
Seven years in the making - and including 31,000 pieces of research - the IPCC report finds there is a 66 percent chance to maintain global warming below 2 degrees by 2100 if atmospheric CO2 concentrations remain between between 430 and 480 parts per million (ppm).
The IPCC renders numerous charts to illustrate its conclusions.
Climate Change and Health:
Climate change will exacerbate existing health issues until 2050, disproportionately impacting the world's poor. As temperatures increase, so also will the number of individuals who will be seriously injured or die from heat waves and fires. Waterborne diseases will increased dramatically.
Food Security
Food security will be increasingly threatened as changes in crop yields impact food production. The above graph depicts the regions where these impacts will be most dire unless adaption and mitigation efforts are significantly increased.
Some of the key Findings from the AR-5 Synthesis Report Summary for Policymakers:
1.1 Observed changes in the climate system
Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, and since the 1950s, many of the observed changes are unprecedented over decades to millennia. The atmosphere and ocean have warmed, the amounts of snow and ice have diminished, and sea level has risen. {1.1}
2.1 Key drivers of future climate
Cumulative emissions of CO2 largely determine global mean surface warming by the late 21st century and beyond. Projections of greenhouse gas emissions vary over a wide range, depending on both socioeconomic development and climate policy. {2.1}
3.1 Foundations of decision-making about climate change
Effective decision making to limit climate change and its effects can be informed by a wide range of analytical approaches for evaluating expected risks and benefits, recognizing the importance of governance, ethical dimensions, equity, value judgments, economic assessments and diverse perceptions and responses to risk and uncertainty. {3.1}
4.4 Policy approaches for adaptation and mitigation, technology and finance
Effective adaptation and mitigation responses will depend on policies and measures across multiple scales: international, regional, national and sub-national. Policies across all scales supporting technology development, diffusion and transfer, as well as finance for responses to climate change, can complement and enhance the effectiveness of policies that directly promote adaptation and mitigation. {4.4}
4.5 Trade-offs, synergies and interactions with sustainable development
Climate change is a threat to sustainable development. Nonetheless, there are many opportunities to link mitigation, adaptation and the pursuit of other societal objectives through integrated responses (high confidence). Successful implementation relies on relevant tools, suitable governance structures and enhanced capacity to respond (medium confidence). {3.5, 4.5} (From Climasphere synopsis)
Scenarios of carbon emissions between 2005 and 2050 detail consequences of delaying cut backs in CO2 emissions by 2050..
Countries will need to rely on geoengineering solutions unless they succeed in making five or six percent cuts to GHG emssions between 2030 and 2050 (the lighter green bars).
You can download the entire IPCC AR5 Synthesis
here.
Visit The Carbon Brief for an overview and analysis of ten of the IPCC Charts.
Join the Twitter Storm to Amplify Messaging that World Leaders Must Act Now!
Some of the top tweetson the IPCC AR5 Synthesis
Sample Tweets:
Climate change is the biggest challenge in human history. The #IPCC Synthesis Report makes this clear http://bit.ly/.... #ClimateAction
The #IPCC Synthesis Report on climate change should be a must read for all world leaders http://bit.ly/.... #ClimateAction
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