The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has submitted the latest climate change report, the sixth, based on findings by researchers in the years 2021-2022. Gravity is obvious: continuing as it has been up to now, the Earth will warm up 3.2 degrees Celsius by the end of the century and 2.2 degrees fulfilling the commitments undertaken by States. In any case, global warming would have very negative consequences.

Conversely, the immediate adoption of more rigorous and daring measures suggests that it is possible to heat the planet by 1.4 degrees by the end of the century and thus maintain the limit set in the 2015 Paris Agreement (1.5 degrees). However, they have warned that the possibility of reaching the target is becoming less and less and that the measures must be implemented as soon as possible. To limit the global warming effect, greenhouse gas emissions should be halved in this decade and reduced by 84% to half a century, as explained in the previous IPCC report.

What measures should be taken?

To achieve the objectives, the scientific team has focused on clean, renewable energies: “Various policies and measures taken have proven to be able to significantly reduce CO2 emissions and implement them in wider areas. What is missing is a political commitment.” Sustainable biofuels and hydrogen fuels have also been put on the table, and it has been pointed out that electric cars can be an alternative.

The group has focused not only on production, but also on the other side of the coin: if the current level of consumption is maintained, the Earth will not be able to heat more than 1.5 degrees. In other words, reducing energy consumption will also be key if we are to limit the effects of the climate emergency.

This year, the Climate Summit will be held in the United Arab Emirates and the States will have to pass a study to demonstrate whether the Paris agreement is being complied with.