One of the hard lessons to be learned from human-induced climate change is the folly of ignoring countless credible warnings from science for decades and wasting what little time we still have to make a difference.

A 2040 DEADLINE

The recently released final installment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) warned that the rate of global warming means our world would need to increase the speed of transition to net zero by a decade, bringing targets forward from 2050 to 2040.

The “climate time bomb is ticking,” warned UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, “This report, is a clarion call to massively fast track climate efforts by every country, and in every sector and in every timeframe.”

He said that “bringing targets forward from 2050 to 2040 in a massive challenge for nations struggling to meet existing measures. Our world needs climate action on all fronts, everything, everywhere, all at once.”

The 8,000 page IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) was an eight-year long undertaking from the world’s most authoritative scientific body on climate change. It grimly reminds us of the devastating consequences of rising greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions around the world and makes the increasingly dangerous and irreversible risks so frighteningly clear should we fail to shift ‘for good’ from our business-as-usual attitudes and destructive behaviours.

TEN KEY FINDINGS

World Resources Institute identified 10 key findings we need to know:

1. Human-induced global warming of 1.1 degrees C has spurred changes to the Earth’s climate that are unprecedented in recent human history.

2. Climate impacts on people and ecosystems are more widespread and severe than expected, and future risks will escalate rapidly with every fraction of a degree of warming.

3. Adaptation measures can effectively build resilience, but more finance is needed to scale solutions.

4. Some climate impacts are already so severe they cannot be adapted to, leading to losses and damages.

5. Global GHG emissions peak before 2025 in 1.5 degrees C-aligned pathways.

6. The world must rapidly shift away from burning fossil fuels — the number one cause of the climate crisis.

7. We also need urgent, systemwide transformations to secure a net-zero, climate-resilient future.

8. Carbon removal is now essential to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees C.

9. Climate finance for both mitigation and adaptation must increase dramatically this decade.

10. Climate change — as well as our collective efforts to adapt to and mitigate it — will exacerbate inequity should we fail to ensure a just transition.

THERE IS STILL HOPE

The IPCC highlight pathways to avoid the intensifying risks and affirms that we can still secure a safe, livable future.

There is still hope, IF we have all-hands-on-deck …

IF developed ‘rich’ countries will not just commit, but actually achieve Net Zero before 2040.

IF the two emerging countries – China (the world’s number1 carbon polluter) and India (the world’s 3rd largest polluter India) are not exempted, and all other countries as well.

IF the promised Loss and Damage Fund provides the long awaited financial assistance to nations most vulnerable and impacted by the effects of climate change.

IF there are regulations in place globally to ensure there is accountability, transparency and policing of Scope 1, 2 and 3 accounting, and high integrity + high quality carbon offsets.

IF there is a strict Due Diligence, Substantiated Green Claims and Corporate Sustainability Reporting in place.

And IF we act NOW and achieve Net Zero or better – Climate Positive – on time.