The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has released its latest report on the progressing climate disaster that is unfolding before our eyes. As countries take half-hearted steps to cut down carbon emissions, cases of climate anxiety continue to rise across the world. But impending climate disaster is still preventable through hard yet achievable measures.
“We are at a crossroads. This is the time for action. We have the tools and know-how required to limit warming and secure a liveable future,” IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee said announcing the report.
These are some of the methods that are highlighted in the latest report:
Switching to renewables
Energy is one of the biggest producers of carbon emissions in the world. By switching to renewable energy, countries can cut down their carbon emissions and start to decarbonise their economies.
Switching to renewables is good economics as well -- lower energy costs, more jobs and a transition to a sustainable industry. Recent years have made the deployment of renewables much easier as costs have been driven down. As a result, it is entirely possible to reduce energy emissions by 38-52 percent by 2030, a target that needs to be met for keeping the temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Turning buildings and cities green
Building and urban centres account for a significant portion of global carbon emissions every year. By decarbonising what already exists and making sure that newer additions are carbon-free, humanity as a whole can significantly slash its carbon emissions.
From policy measures that promote the use of public transport and cycles to the use of better insulation, and more efficient heating and cooling systems in buildings, all measures add up on a larger scale.
Adopting electric vehicles
Transportation often accounts for one of the biggest shares of the emissions, especially across developed nations like the US. By switching to electric vehicles, or vehicles that run on renewables, countries can cut down one of the fastest-growing sources of carbon emissions.
And it's not just passenger vehicles that need to change. Ships, trucks, aircraft and other modes of transport often contribute more in terms of environmental harm due to their use of high carbon-emitting fuel.
Carbon sequestration
Cutting emissions is just one part of the greater battle against climate change. While achieving net-zero emissions means that humanity isn’t actively worsening the condition of our climate anymore, in order to start making it better we will need to remove the millions and millions of tonnes of carbon that we have already released into the atmosphere.
Through the use of carbon capture and sequestration techniques, this extra carbon can be removed from the atmosphere. This can be done without the need of high-tech machinery or equipment as well. Regenerative farming techniques, afforestation and reforestation, and other practices offer simple yet effective ways to sequester carbon and even derive benefits from doing so.
