Climate Change Can Still Be Turned Around, According To New UN Report

The IPCC climate report found that in order to limit global warming by 1.5 degrees Celsius, greenhouse gases, which have increased across all sectors since 2010, would have to peak by 2025 and be reduced by 43% by 2030. The authors added that methane emissions would also have to be curtailed by a third within the same timeline, which won’t stop the temperature from exceeding 1.5 degrees above the pre-industrial standard, but it’ll help lower it back down below the threshold by the end of the 21st century.

The report placed heavy emphasis on the need for towns and cities to develop an energy-efficient infrastructure since urban areas release the most carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This means they would have to substantially reduce fossil fuels (if not eliminate them entirely), extend electricity to public transportation, increase the use of alternative fuels, and improve energy efficiency for buildings — something like, for example, Amazon is doing with some of its Amazon Fresh grocery stores. While they may be Herculean tasks, the IPCC notes those solutions are doable, citing the sharp 85% decrease in costs of solar and wind energy, as well as batteries.

If everyone follows all of the recommendations given in the report, it may be possible to cap global temperatures, assuming humanity can reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. All it takes is for governments and corporations, especially in the U.S., to take climate change seriously and stop greenwashing.