The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report was dubbed the “Code red for humanity” by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who described it as the most thorough examination of climate science ever performed.
Echoing the scientists’ findings, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres said:
“If we combine forces now, we can avert climate catastrophe. But, as today’s report makes clear, there is no time for delay and no room for excuses. I count on government leaders and all stakeholders to ensure COP26 is a success.”
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What is the root cause for an alarming report?
Cities are hot spots for global warming because they absorb heat and lack cooling areas like water and vegetation. Today, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (India is one of 195 members) released its sixth assessment report.
Changes in the Earth’s climate are being observed in all regions and across the climate system, according to scientists.
Changes that have already started taking place
For hundreds or thousands of years, some effects that have already begun, such as ongoing sea-level rise, are irreversible. While substantial reductions in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases could limit climate change, countries must agree to do so.
Even some countries miraculously agree that when they meet in Glasgow, England, later this year, with immediate and drastic cuts, it could take 2030 for global temperatures to stabilize, although the benefits for air quality will come soon.
10 key points of the IPCC climate change report
1. The world is getting warmer at an accelerating rate. According to this explosive report, global warming is expected to reach 1.5 degrees Celsius around 2030, ten years ahead of the 2018 forecast.
2. The sea level rises faster. The average speed between 1901 and 1971 was 1.3 mm/ year, which more than doubled between 2006 and 2018, reaching 3.7 mm/year between 1901 and 2018.
3. Since the 1950s, extreme heat (including heat waves) has become more frequent and intense in most land areas, while extreme cold (including cold waves) has become less frequent and less severe.
4. Human-induced climate change is considered the main driving force behind these changes.
5. Cities are hot spots for global warming because they absorb heat and lack cooling areas such as water and vegetation.
6. Extremely high-temperature events, storms, and droughts once every 10 and 50 years will be more frequent and severe.
7. Extreme weather events can have greater amplitude, greater frequency, new locations, different times, new combinations; that is, two or more extreme events occur simultaneously, such as heatwaves and droughts.
8. Although it is difficult to determine the exact cause of a particular, extreme event on a case-by-case basis, scientists can now quantify the contribution of human influence to the magnitude and probability of many extreme events.
9. Climate change is closely related to quality, two aspects of the same coin. Solving these two problems together can generate significant synergies and financial benefits.
10. By the end of this century, global warming may be limited. Still, from now on, the burning of fossil fuels and other activities that emit greenhouse gases will need to be drastically reduced immediately.
