As natural disasters come thick and fast - floods in China and western Europe, heatwaves and drought in North America and wildfires in the sub-Arctic - the UN warns that the time to act is now.
Today, the latest United Nations IPCC report – that’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, FYI – has been released, and shares some stark and sobering findings.
If the natural disasters of the last few months weren’t enough to go by – floods in China and western Europe, heatwaves and drought in North America and wildfires in the sub-Arctic – today’s ‘code red’ warning should be.
The report collates evidence from over 14,000 research papers and 234 global scientists, professors and academics. It outlines some harsh truths and, bottom line, highlights that, as Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme Inger Andersen says: ‘Nobody is safe and it’s getting worse—and fast.’
This affects every single human living on planet Earth – so whether you like it or not, it’s your responsibility to read it and act – now.
Keep reading for a breakdown of the findings and a climate expert’s take on what they actually mean for you.
"Today’s #IPCC Working Group I Report is a code red for humanity… Global heating is affecting every region on Earth, with many of the changes becoming irreversible."@UN SG @antonioguterres on today's release of the #IPCC's latest #ClimateReport.
PR
https://t.co/07lVptiIW2 pic.twitter.com/Q1jqlFv5YI
— IPCC (@IPCC_CH) August 9, 2021
UN IPCC Climate Report: ‘It’s getting worse, fast.’
1. The impact of climate change is now ‘unavoidable’
The United Nations report doesn’t beat around the bush, with UN secretary general Antonio Guterres calling it a ‘code red for humanity’.
Sadly, some – not all, but some – of the changes made to planet Earth, the findings conclude, are now both ‘unavoidable’ and ‘irreversible.’
2. Humans are the cause
If you’re on the fence about whether human impact is really causing the planet to heat up, hear this: scientists have confirmed that it is, in their own words, ‘unequivocal’ that humans are the main reason for global warming, triggering ‘unprecedented’ shifts not just to our land, but to our rainforests, air, atmosphere and oceans, too.
SYRIA – JAN 31: Civilian carries a child to safety after heavy rain caused floods in Idlib, Syria
3. It marks a ‘code red’
Wondering what this means? Well, in short, it’s a warning: Guterres wants the world to know that, as per their findings, if countries don’t change their efforts and step up to cut their carbon footprint, we face serious crisis.
He said: “The alarm bells are deafening, and the evidence is irrefutable: greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel burning and deforestation are choking our planet and putting billions of people at immediate risk.”
“Global heating is affecting every region on Earth, with many of the changes becoming irreversible. The internationally agreed threshold of 1.5C is perilously close.”
4. The rate of change is unprecedented – and could get quicker
The Earth is getting hotter – and fast, at a rate ‘unprecedented in the last 2,000 years.
Scientists warn that the Earth will likely hit 1.5 degrees warming in the next decade or two – that is, unless immediate action is taken.
The UN Sec-General @antonioguterres has raised the alarm
Today's #IPCC report must mark the beginning of the end of fossil fuels (the top cause of the #ClimateCrisis).
That means:
1⃣ No new coal, oil or gas
2⃣ A phase-out of existing production
3⃣ A global just transition pic.twitter.com/rbfPLjf099— Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative (@fossiltreaty) August 9, 2021
5. The stats are sobering
Need-to-knows: CO2 levels haven’t been this high for three million years ago, greenhouse gases are at their highest levels in hundreds of thousands of years, and the amount of methane in the atmosphere the highest in 800,000 years.
If these stats don’t bring home the sheer scale of the problem, we don’t know what will.
6. Burning fossil fuels and deforestation are to blame
And, by proxy, the humans, organisations and businesses who’ve been carrying out these activities without a care for the planet or the environment. The IPCC report states that human activities like burning fossil fuels and deforestation are directly to blame for the Earth’s temperature being, on average, just under 1.1 degrees C higher in the last twenty years.
TURKEY – AUGUST 01: People run from a forest fire in Antalya, Turkey
7. Nowhere is unaffected
Sadly, the scientists state that there is ‘strong’ indication that climate change spans the whole globe and won’t slow down anytime soon, either, unless drastic change is made.
Their paper says that, over the course of the next two decades, the Earth could reach temperatures of 1.5C, despite many countries signing comitments to avoiding the rising temperature levels getting this high. A significant reduction to both carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions must happen – and fast – to stop global warming levels getting this high.
8. Freak weather will only continue
You know the heatwaves in Canada and the US, floods in Germany and China, and wildfires in Turkey? There’s more to come. In the new paper, experts warn that we face serious bouts of drought, rainfall, heatwaves and cyclones that will only increase as the Earth’s carbon sinks become unable to cope with the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere.
They also warn to expect serious changes to the amount of sea ice, snow cover and permafrost.
These changes are predicted to be irreversible for decades, at the very least. Scientists predict that the higher the Earth’s temperature gets, the worse the natural disasters will get.
TURKEY – AUGUST 05: Flames and smoke rise after a forest fire broke out in Gundogmus
9. Cutting carbon emissions is no longer encouraged, but essential
We need to act now. The UN say that cutting global emissions immediately is the only chance to realistically limit global warming to 1.5C long-run. If it goes above this, we will face serious repercussions, they warn.
On the subject, PM Boris Johnson said: “Today’s report makes for sobering reading, and it is clear that the next decade is going to be pivotal to securing the future of our planet. We know what must be done to limit global warming – consign coal to history and shift to clean energy sources, protect nature and provide climate finance for countries on the frontline.”
“The UK is leading the way, decarbonising our economy faster than any country in the G20 over the last two decades. I hope today’s IPCC report will be a wake-up call for the world to take action now, before we meet in Glasgow in November for the critical COP26 summit.”
10. Climate ‘disruption’ is guaranteed for decades, if not centuries
As we’ve touched on above, sadly, not all of the changes are reversible – at least, not for some time. They’ve confirmed today that the levels of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere means that we’ll be dealing with the repercussions of climate change for ‘decades if not centuries.’
“The alarm bells are deafening,” said Guterres. “This report must sound a death knell for coal and fossil fuels, before they destroy our planet.”
GERMANY – JULY 18: A damaged road after severe rainstorm and flash floods hit western Germany. At least 156 died.
Mikaela Loach – ‘We cannot continue as we have been’
“I feel overwhelmed. A lot of us do. This has shown us clearer than ever before that climate change is now. It is everywhere and it is happening and it is touching all parts of the Earth, right now.”
“We must act. We cannot continue as we have been – everything that’s happening seems drastic and awful, but if we continue this way, it’s only going to get worse.”
“This will be the least amount of disaster that we see.”
“There is this complete wilful ignorance of the harm that’s being caused all over the world, and it’s completely absurd to suggest that these natural disasters are anything but climate change. It is climate change. It’s climate breakdown that we’re seeing happening around us.”
“It’s only going to get worse. We need to stop that as much as we can.”
“It is not too late.”
“We still have time to stop runaway climate change – there are certain things that we can reverse, but that requires rapid decarbonisation, investments in green jobs, backing of renewable electricity and a move away from fossil fuels. It’s possible – it’s within our reach – but it just requires us to put pressure on our government.”
So how can you help? “It’s not just about buying different – it’s about campaigning and being involved. The UK government is set to approve the CAMBA oil field, which is an oil field off the case of Shetland in the North Sea, just months before before hosting the UN climate conference in Glasgow.”
“This oil field would produce emissions that are ten times the emissions of Scotland. It would be absolutely catastrophic and they are set to approve it. Stopping these things from being approved is one of the important things we can do.”
“Get involved in the campaigns. It’s about more than just our lifestyle choices. Behavioural change – like changing what you eat and what you wear – is important. But how you use your time is even more important.”
“How are you going to get involved with campaigning and be part of movements that create the new future and our new world? Are you going to sit around and wait for other people to do that? You simply cannot, because no one will do it for you. We have to do it for ourselves.”
Remember: this may feel like a moment of despair, but really, it can be utilised as an opportunity. An opportunity to educate yourself, to inspire others, and to understand the complexities of this climate crisis – and what needs to be done now to combat it.
The post 'Nobody is safe': 10 findings you need to be aware of following the UN's 'code red' climate report appeared first on Marie Claire.
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