World leaders have failed in their battle against climate change, according to a UN report

A new report focused on the effects of global warming reveals that commitments to limit it are not being met. The head of the UN highlighted the problem of coal and other fossil fuels that suffocate humanity and asks that countries comply with their agreements to stop financing coal-based energy, advocating the use of renewable energies and investing in climate adaptation.

UN scientists on Monday issued a stark warning about the effects of climate change on people and the planet, saying that the collapse of ecosystems, the extinction of species, deadly heat waves and floods are among the “multiple unavoidable climate risks” that the world will face in the next 20 years due to global warming.

“This report is a dire warning about the consequences of not taking action,” said Hoesung Lee, chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

“It shows that climate change is a serious and growing threat to our well-being and to the health of the planet. Our actions today will determine how people can adapt and how nature will respond to increasing climate risks,” he denounced, adding: “Half measures are no longer an option”.

According to the report, human-induced climate change is causing dangerous and widespread disruption to nature and affecting billions of lives around the world. Despite efforts to reduce risks, the people and ecosystems most vulnerable to these risks are the hardest hit by the effects of climate.

This is the second in a series of three reports by leading UN climate scientists; its launch comes just over a hundred days after the United Nations Climate Conference in Glasgow (COP26) agreed to intensify measures to limit global warming to 1.5°C and thus avoid the worst consequences of climate change .

The UN Secretary General, António Guterres, described the first report, published last August, as a “red code for humanity”, and stated then that “if we join forces now, we can avoid climate catastrophe”.

Climate change has taken our breath away

Guterres’ take on the latest report is equally stark; He calls it “an atlas of human suffering and an indictment of failed climate leadership.”

The data from the report, which focuses on effects, adaptation and vulnerability, reveals how people and the planet are being “pounded” by climate change.

“Nearly half of the population lives in a danger zone, at the moment. Many ecosystems have reached the point of no return, at the moment. Unchecked carbon emission pollution pushes the world’s most vulnerable population onto a path of destruction, for the time being,” he declared.

Abandonment of leadership is a crime

Guterres stressed that the world’s biggest polluters are to blame for burning down the only home we have.

In the face of such dire evidence, meeting the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C is essential, and science shows that this will require the world to cut emissions by 45% by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. .

“But in light of current commitments, global emissions will increase by almost 14% in the current decade. That will spell catastrophe. It will destroy any chance of keeping the 1.5C target alive,” said the UN’s number one .

One of the fundamental claims of the report is that coal and other fossil fuels are suffocating humanity, explained the Secretary, who called on all G20 governments to honor their agreements to stop financing coal-based energy abroad. and in their own country, and to dismantle coal-fired facilities.

He also addressed the oil and gas giants: “You cannot pretend to be green while you have plans and projects that undermine the goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050 and that ignore the significant emission reductions that must occur during this decade. The public will not be fooled by that smokescreen,” he said.

Instead of slowing down the decarbonization of the world economy, it is time to accelerate the energy transition to a future based on renewable energy, he said, noting that “fossil fuels are a dead end for our planet, for humanity and also for the economies.”

He also called on “developed countries, multilateral development banks, private financial agents and other interested parties to form coalitions with the aim of facilitating the main emerging economies to stop using coal.

Climate adaptation saves lives

The second main conclusion of the think tank report is slightly more positive news: investments in adaptation work.

“As the impacts of climate change worsen, and they will, scaled-up investments will be essential to survive. Adaptation and mitigation must be driven with equal force and urgency. That is why I have advocated dedicating 50% to adaptation of all climate finance,” Guterres explained.

Noting that the Glasgow commitment on financing for adaptation is clearly insufficient to meet the challenges of nations on the front lines of the climate crisis, he said he is also pressing to remove obstacles that prevent small island states and least developed countries get the finance they desperately need to save their lives and livelihoods.

“We need new eligibility criteria to deal with this new reality. Any delay leads to deaths,” he said.

The Secretary said he had admiration for those struggling with solutions on the front lines of the climate crisis, and said he was aware of how angry and unsettled people around the world are.

“I am too. Now is the time to turn anger into action. Every fraction of a degree matters. Every voice can make a difference. And every second counts,” he said.

Urgent measures to deal with growing risks

The Group of Experts affirms that the increase in heat waves, droughts and floods are already exceeding the tolerance thresholds of plants and animals, causing massive mortalities in species such as trees and corals. These extreme weather events are occurring simultaneously, causing cascading effects that are increasingly difficult to manage.

These inclement weather conditions have exposed millions of people to severe food and water insecurity, especially in Africa, Asia, Central and South America, in small island nations and in the Arctic.

To avoid the increasing loss of life, biodiversity and infrastructure, new measures to adapt to climate change must be rapidly adopted, while at the same time greenhouse gas emissions are substantially reduced.

So far, progress on adaptation is uneven and gaps between measures taken and those needed to deal with growing risks are widening, according to the new report. These differences are more worrisome among lower-income populations.

“This report recognizes the interdependence between climate, biodiversity and people, and integrates natural, social and economic sciences more firmly than previous assessments,” said Hoesung Lee.

Protecting nature is key to ensuring a livable future

There are solutions to adapt to a changing climate. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), this report offers new perspectives on the potential of nature not only to reduce climate risks, but also to improve people’s lives.

“Healthy ecosystems are more resilient to climate change and provide vital services such as food and clean water,” said Working Group II co-chair Hans-Otto Pörtner.

“By restoring degraded ecosystems and effectively and equitably conserving 30-50% of Earth’s terrestrial, freshwater and ocean habitats, society can benefit from nature’s ability to absorb and store carbon, and we can enable progress towards sustainable development, but adequate funding and political support is essential.

Scientists point out that climate change interacts with global trends such as the unsustainable use of natural resources, increasing urbanization, social inequalities, loss and damage caused by extreme events, and a pandemic; endangering future development.

“Our assessments clearly show that addressing all these different challenges requires everyone – governments, the private sector and civil society – to work together to prioritize risk reduction as well as equity and justice, decision-making and investment,” said IPCC Working Group II Co-Chair Debra Roberts.

Cities: hotspots for climate change, crucial to the solution

The report offers a detailed assessment of climate change impacts, risks and adaptation in cities, and urban areas, where more than half of the world’s population lives.

“Increasing urbanization and climate change together create complex risks, especially for those cities that already experience poorly planned urban growth, high levels of poverty and unemployment, and a lack of basic services,” Roberts said.

“But cities also offer opportunities for climate action: green buildings, reliable supplies of clean water and renewable energy, and sustainable transport systems that connect urban and rural areas can lead to a more inclusive and just society.”

Time is running out to stop climate change

Overall, the report, which provides extensive regional information to enable climate-resilient development, underscores the urgent need for action to mitigate climate change, focused on equity and justice.

Adequate financing, technology transfer, political commitment and collaboration lead to more effective climate change adaptation and emission reductions.

“The scientific evidence is unequivocal: climate change is a threat to human well-being and the health of the planet. Any further delay in concerted global action will quickly lose what little room we have left to secure a livable future,” he concluded. Hans-Otto Portner.

Source: UN News