Final call for climate change
Following three years of intensive research, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have warned that the window to make real change to rising global temperatures is closer than we think.
It focuses on the principle that global temperatures mustn’t exceed 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, and that the findings now indicate we are well on course to reach over 3C. Policymakers have for a long time been setting targets that would now seem futile, as the developing world continues to think only in the present rather than the future.
A statement from the report claims there are two significant points to adhere to: "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," he added.
Having studied the decline of ice, temperature rises and the increase in extreme weather the report has strong evidence to sway even the most hardened climate change denier. Major efforts are going to have to be made now, and if we’re to make a real difference then every country must play their role.
Scientist have stated a massive financial investment must be made now to help the effort, with around 2.5% of global gross domestic product (GDP) standing as a good estimate. This investment will pale in comparison to the cost of doing nothing. We could face massive upheaval, unrest and shortages of every kind that will see a decline in population and increase in global conflict. We can all do our part, and if governments take decisive action now we can avoid humanity’s biggest ever threat.
