Scientists gave their ‘final warning’ on the climate crisis, as rising greenhouse gas emissions put the world at risk of irreparable harm that can only be stopped by immediate and strong action. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which is comprised of the top climate scientists in the world, set out the final part of their sixth assessment report. The overall message was clear: the world has one last chance to limit global temperature rises to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, which is the threshold beyond which the damage to the climate will become irreversible.
The UN secretary general, Antonio Guterres, said: “This report is a clarion call to massively fast-track climate efforts by every country and every sector and on every timeframe. Our world needs climate action on all fronts: everything, everywhere, all at once.”
Currently temperatures are about 1.1C higher than pre-industrial levels, so by taking ambitious and urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, there is hope that we can stay within 1.5C and guarantee a livable, sustainable future for all.