'Some government and business leaders... are lying. The results will be catastrophic.'
The 3,000-page IPCC report reveals that the last decade reached the highest levels of greenhouse gas emissions in human history. Climate leaders says it's time to act now.Today, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released the third chapter of the Sixth Assessment Report covering climate mitigation. And its findings are grim.
To reach the 1.5 degrees goal, global emissions must peak in 2025 at the absolute latest. In addition, carbon emissions must be cut in half and methane must be reduced by a third by 2030. This would require hitting net zero emissions by 2050. To keep warming below 2 degrees, net zero emissions must be hit by 2070.“It’s now or never, if we want to limit global warming to 1.5°C ,” said IPCC Working Group III co-chair Jim Skea.
“I am encouraged by climate action being taken in many countries,” says IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee. “There are policies, regulations and market instruments that are proving effective. If these are scaled up and applied more widely and equitably, they can support deep emissions reductions and stimulate innovation.”