Researchers from the University of Exeter and the Met Office have commented on the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
The Synthesis Report is a summary of the latest (sixth) round of IPCC assessments of climate change, its impacts and the solutions available.
The IPCC says global warming has created “increasingly dangerous impacts on nature and people in every region of the world” – but “urgent climate action can secure a liveable future for all”.
Responding to the report, Professor Pierre Friedlingstein, who leads the Global Carbon Budget, said: “The IPCC AR6 synthesis report perfectly summarises current and future climate change and associated impacts and the absolute necessity to reduce greenhouse gases emissions immediately to limit further warming.
“At current level of CO2 emissions, the 1.5°C target would be breached in the coming decade. To me, the one single sentence from the report that says it all is the following: ‘The choices and actions implemented in this decade will have impacts now and for thousands of years’.”
Dr Chris Jones, of the Met Office Hadley Centre, was one of the core writing team of lead authors from across the IPCC process. He said:
“We know that the climate is changing now and affecting everyone, everywhere,” said Dr Jones, who is on the Global Carbon Budget’s science steering committee.
“Adverse impacts are increasing in all parts of the world. We know this will continue, but we have many options to help address it. Sadly, the world has not acted quickly enough. We have had enough knowledge to drive action for many years – this report really stresses the urgency of acting now.”
Dr Jones added: “By the time of the next IPCC report, we will likely have used up most of our remaining carbon budget to stay within 1.5°C.”