The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), a UN task group, published a 3,949-page report Monday that dubbed current climate change trends “code red for mankind.”
Here’s what you should know.
It’s entirely our fault. If there was any question that volcanoes may have a role in climate change, the IPCC dispelled it. The experts stated, “It is undeniable that human impact has warmed the atmosphere, seas, and land.” They discovered that during the 19th century’s Industrial Revolution, human activity has boosted world average temperature by roughly 2 degrees Fahrenheit.
The weather has gone “EXXTREME!” in the style of the mid-2000s confectionery. If climate change continues at its current rate, tropical storms, heat waves, wildfires, droughts, and flooding are all projected to become more severe and frequent, according to the research.
Extreme weather should not only be considered in the future, but also in the present. Last week, Greece, Turkey, and most of Western America were hit by some of the deadliest wildfires in recent memory.
The energy business is the focus of everyone’s attention. The study criticised one human action in particular for accelerating climate change: the use of fossil fuels. CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere are at their greatest level in 2 million years.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated, “This report must ring a death knell for coal and fossil fuels before they kill our world.”
There is a ray of hope. Countries have been doing a good job of reducing carbon emissions since the IPCC’s previous major report in 2013. However, the study argued that such cutbacks must be made far more quickly. Otherwise, preventing global temperatures from rising will be almost difficult.
In November, world leaders will gather in Glasgow, Scotland, for the crucial COP26 international climate negotiations. They’ll be in charge of translating the IPCC’s scientific findings into actionable policy.