Keeping the World Below 1.5C warming
On the 8th October 2018, the most extensive warning on the risks of rising global temperatures was issued. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Carnage (IPCC), made up of various scientists and government officials, gathered at a meeting in South Korea and issued a special report on the impact of global warming.
According to the report, the World is completely off track to limit warming to 1.5C, and is currently heading towards a global increase in temperature of 3C.
Following the report there are some key messages:
"The first is that limiting warming to 1.5C brings a lot of benefits compared with limiting it to two degrees. It really reduces the impacts of climate change in very important ways," said Prof Jim Skea, who co-chairs the IPCC.”
"The second is the unprecedented nature of the changes that are required if we are to limit warming to 1.5C - changes to energy systems, changes to the way we manage land, changes to the way we move around with transportation."
It could be as little as 12 years before the deadly 1.5C is exceeded.
How do Recent Years Compare with the 20th Century Average?
Source: NOAA
Five Steps to 1.5C
The IPCC issue some steps that need to be taken if we are to limit warming to 1.5C.
Global emissions of CO2 need to decline by 45% from 2010 levels by 2030
Renewables are estimated to provide up to 85% of global electricity by 2050
Coal is expected to reduce to close to zero
Up to seven million sq km of land will be needed for energy crops (a bit less than the size of Australia)
Global net zero emissions by 2050