‘Now or never’ – top climate body says we can avoid catastrophe

The world’s top climate scientists say it’s “now or never’ if we want to avoid disastrous climate change, but drastic and immediate changes can save our planet

The United Nation’s IPCC has officially published its report looking into what the world needs to do to halt the impacts of global warming before its too late. 

The top body says there must be “rapid, deep and immediate” cuts in carbon dioxide emissions, with a peak in three years before a rapid decline. 

Carbon capture technology will also be required to suck excess CO2 from the skies and help speed up the process.

“We will miss the crucial goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C unless we dramatically scale up climate solutions to rapidly cut greenhouse gas emissions,” Dr. Stephen Cornelius, the global lead for IPCC and head of WWF delegation, says in a media release.

“We cannot hold on any longer to the polluting fossil fuels that are wrecking our climate and destroying the natural world on which we all depend,” he says. 

It’s a harsh wake-up call for world leaders, after it was revealed the planet will still arm by 3.2 degrees Celsius this century with only the current measures in place. 

The UN’s Secretary General believes a failure to act will be “catastrophic”.

To avoid unprecedented heatwaves, terrifying storms and widespread water shortages, the rise in global temperatures must stay at or below 1.5 degrees.

There will need to be huge changes to the world’s energy production, industry transport and consumption patterns, as well as a shift in how we treat nature and our environment.

Rijul Baath contributed to this report