The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the world’s leading authority on climate research, released a new comprehensive report yesterday, finding that meeting the goal of the 2015 Paris Climate Accords to prevent global warming of more than 2 degrees Celsius at least, or a more ambitious 1.5 degrees is still possible, though it will require a fundamental overhaul of nearly every aspect of human life.
The new report is the third and final installment in a major three-part climate assessment by the IPCC, detailing the steps human societies can take to mitigate climate change. “The IPCC report before us today is powerful evidence that we have the great potential to mitigate climate change,” said Hoesung Lee, chair of the IPCC, at a virtual presentation of the findings yesterday. “We are at a crossroads. This is the time for action. We have the tools and know-how to limit warming and secure a livable future.”
Currently, global greenhouse gas emissions are still rising, despite a brief and temporary decline during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. To meet the 1.5 C threshold outlined in the Paris agreement, emissions would need to immediately peak and then fall by nearly half by 2030 across all sectors of society, including energy, transportation, industry, buildings, and land use.
“It’s now or never, if we want to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius,” said Jim Skea, a co-chair of the IPCC working group that prepared the report. “Without immediate and deep emissions reductions across all sectors, it will be impossible.”
Quick hits
Wyoming court case involving public land access may soon head to federal court
Southwest Colorado farmers survived on 10% of their normal water supply in 2021
IPCC climate report: everything has to be part of the solution
New York Times | PBS News Hour | E&E News
Ted Turner-owned land in southern New Mexico gets conservation easement, thanks to the Defense Department
BLM acknowledged contractor did permanent damage to 100 million year-old Utah dinosaur tracks
Montana’s American Prairie gets approval for bison grazing while some state lawmakers object
Missoula Current | Billings Gazette
World’s largest wildlife crossing to break ground in California
Fish and Wildlife Service grants temporary endangered status to Nevada toad
Quote of the day
We are looking down the barrel of a loaded gun with our water resources in the West. Rather than investing in body armor, we’ve been hoping that the trigger won’t be pulled.”
Picture this
Your fee dollars help keep our parks wild and preserved in many ways, and fencing along our boundary is something you help keep maintained when you purchase a pass.
Thank you! #NPS #petrifiedforest
(featured image: Renewable energy development in the California Desert. Photo courtesy of Tom Brewster Photography, BLM Flickr)