“ 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.”
António Guterres
UN Secretary-General
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), made up of the world’s leading climate scientists, has now published the final part of its sixth assessment report: the IPPC AR6 Synthesis Report (SYR).
The last of the AR6 reports, the SYR highlights that only rapid and significant action to limit global temperature increases to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels can avert irrevocable damage to the planet.
Setting out the global impact of climate degradation, the SYR highlights the lives lost as a result of extreme weather conditions, the irreversible loss of biodiversity, and the millions facing hunger and water scarcity – with the resounding message that this report is the final warning on the target of 1.5C.
The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, commented: “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.”
Find out more about climate risk“Today’s IPCC Synthesis Report gave another deafening drumbeat to the severity of the climate crisis, stating it would take a quantum leap in climate action to achieve the 1.5C limit. But, one of the most damning facts is the acknowledgement that the tools are available to curb and adapt to climate change; the issue lies with ambition and commitment.
With more than 3bn people already living in areas that are “highly vulnerable” to climate breakdown, and half of the global population now experiencing severe water scarcity for at least part of the year, how extreme does the news have to be before action takes place?
We must reimagine progress and focus on actions and achievements that align with reaching net zero by 2050, supported by clear plans and interim targets, as referenced by Antonio Guterres. Celebrating unsubstantiated long-term goals that avoid the immediacy of change must be retired. Anthesis stands firmly behind the IPCC’s citation that finance, technology and international cooperation were critical enablers for accelerated climate action; a response validated through its partnerships with thousands of organisations and cities in their transition to net zero.”
Stuart McLachlan
Anthesis CEO
Ambitious Action can Ensure a Liveable, Sustainable Future
While making clear that the time remaining to take action is short, the report states that there is still hope of staying below 1.5C.
IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee said: “This synthesis report underscores the urgency of taking more ambitious action and shows that, if we act now, we can still secure a liveable, sustainable future for all.”
The IPCC found that global temperatures are currently approximately 1.1C above pre-industrial levels. According to the SYR’s findings, if greenhouse gas emissions are forced to reach their peak as quickly as possible from this point and are then reduced rapidly in the few years that follow, it could still be possible to mitigate the worst effects of a 1.5C increase.
This Decisive Decade is Critical
While the SYR draws together key messages from the IPCC’s sixth assessment report and contains no new science, it collates key information and acts as a “scientific gold standard” for governments to facilitate tangible action over the next few crucial years.
Guterres shone a spotlight on wealthy nations, urging them to redouble their efforts to reach net zero as close to 2040 as possible – and highlighted the importance of government investment in low-carbon technology and renewable energy, commenting:
“The climate timebomb is ticking. But today’s report is a how-to guide to defuse the climate timebomb. It is a survival guide for humanity. As it shows, the 1.5C limit is achievable. Every country must be part of the solution. Demanding others move first only ensures that humanity comes last.”
Read the full report here: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/sixth-assessment-report-cycle/
Find out how Anthesis is supporting organisations on their Net Zero journeys
Image credit: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/syr/
Related Content
Climate Transition Plans: Activating Action
Find out why you should set a climate transition plan.
Episode 37 | Water: Often Overlooked but Key to Climate Change Goals
In this Activating Sustainability episode, our host Chris Peterson is joined by Dave Jaeckel, Principal Consultant with the Anthesis water practice, to discuss where water is at in the climate agenda, current and future efforts surrounding water, and outcomes from the 2023 UN Water Conference.
