On Monday, March 20, the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Synthesis Report of the sixth Assessment Report (AR6) has been released and is a sobering reminder of the urgent need for immediate climate action. Representatives of 195 countries negotiated an agreed text for the summary report, after assessing tens of thousands of scientific studies.The report synthesizes the findings of the three previous AR6 reports and highlights the status, impacts, and potential solutions for global climate change.
The report confirms that global communities are already experiencing the negative impacts of climate change, such as violent weather extremes and water scarcity. Global warming is causing devastating damage, particularly to the most vulnerable habitats and regions. Climate change is also adversely affecting majority of the SDG and we have reached irreversible losses of terrestrial, coastal, and oceanic ecosystems, as well as freshwater and the cryosphere.
Without significant and immediate action, these consequences will become amplified and irreversible. However, the IPCC emphasizes that there is still time to act and provides pathways to limit warming and support impacted communities, ecosystems, and economies.
“This report can be summarized as a message of hope,” said IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee in a press conference. “This report clearly emphasizes that we do have technology and know how and tools to solve climate problems.”
Some of our key takeaways from the 2023 IPCC Synthesis Report
1. We are making progress, but not fast enough
While the progress to date proves that lasting, meaningful emissions reduction is possible, current public and private sector efforts fall short of the mitigation pathways laid out by the IPCC. To meet targets, we now need an all-of-the-above approach that includes aviation, agriculture, shipping, and heavy industry. These sectors are difficult, very expensive, or impossible to electrify, demanding innovative approaches including clean fuels and direct carbon management. Limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees C above pre-industrial levels—a hard limit that prevents severe, difficult-to-reverse impacts of climate change—will require a sustained emissions reduction of 60% by 2035, compared to 2019 levels.
Source: CAT Warming Projections
2. The Growing Importance of Carbon Removal and Sequestration
The report highlights the importance of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) as a necessary and scalable solution that complements other climate actions. Reaching net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions requires deep reductions in CO2, methane, and other GHG emissions. Moreover, to limit human-caused global warming, achieving net negative CO2 emissions on a very large scale is necessary. In fact, crossing the 1.5°C threshold is now almost inevitable, and can be expected for the 2030s, even under very ambitious climate policies. To get back to 1.5°C before 2100, we need to reach net negative CO2 emissions on a very large scale. The carbon removal needed varies depending on the rate of greenhouse gas emission reduction in other systems and the extent to which climate targets are exceeded. The estimated amount ranges from 5 GtCO2 to 16 GtCO2 per year required by mid-century.
There are pros and cons to all carbon removal methods. Reforestation, for instance, is a readily available and relatively low-cost strategy that, if implemented properly, can provide numerous benefits to communities.
Yanacocha Reserve - Ecuador, South America: During the past decade this area of the Andes has been subject to severe deforestation, in order to clear space for pasturing. Presently, very few patches of forest remain, and the loss of these habitats threatens the survival of various different species. Yanacocha extends over 1,200ha and helps to protect some of the best and most accessible cloud forests in northern Ecuador. Since 2001, the reserve is owned, managed and conserved by our Partner - Fundación Jocotoco.
Every tree planted will absorb 80 kg of CO2 over its lifetime which is the equivalent of the average amount produced by one person in 7 day. Click here to plant trees in Yanacocha.
3. Scaling up climate solutions requires more financial investment
Current global climate finance flows just aren't cutting it when it comes to meeting our mitigation and adaptation targets. If we want to keep the 1.5°C or even 2.0°C within reach, we need to take action now and make some serious up-front investments in both adaptation and mitigation. Unfortunately, the reality is that we're falling way short.
At present, annual global climate finance flows come in at around USD630 billion, which is a far cry from the estimated USD3-6 trillion we need each year to meet the temperature and adaptation goals of the Paris Agreement. It's clear we've got our work cut out for us if we're going to get this done.According to the IPCC, developing countries alone will need $127 billion per year by 2030 and $295 billion per year by 2050 to adapt to climate change.
4. Accounting for justice and equity in carbon removal
The report calls for more engagement through "attention to equity and broad and meaningful participation of all relevant actors in decision making at all scales" to help build trust, and fairly share the benefits and burdens of removal programs. The IPCC acknowledges that carbon dioxide removal, like many forms of emissions mitigation, has social, economic, and environmental sustainability implications. We note that residual threats to biodiversity, water, and underserved populations require expertise, focus, attention, and a trained workforce—all of which are underdeveloped in many climate mitigation efforts.
The consequences of climate change have already been severe, but they haven't been felt equally around the world. The most vulnerable people and wildlife will continue to be hit hard, and 3 billion people live in situations that scientists describe as highly vulnerable to climate change. People, animals and ecosystems located in vulnerable areas are 15 times more subject to extreme climate events.
Coastal communities in the tropics have faced devastating consequences due to climate change. Coral reef systems that were once vital for their livelihoods and food security have suffered widespread mortality, and rising sea levels have compelled some low-lying neighborhoods to relocate to higher ground, leaving behind cultural sites that hold great significance.
East Portland Fish Sanctuary - Jamaica, North America: Our Partner Alligator Head Lab, rehabilitates coral reefs in the East Portland Special Fishery Conservation Area (EPSFCA) by growing corals in a nursery environment and then repositioning mature coral in an algal-dominated reef. To date, the Alligator Head Lab has successfully outplanted 6000 coral pieces onto East Portland's reefs through the installation of artificial reefs onto degraded areas to help restore structures used by juvenile fish and other organisms.
Losses and damages are part of our future, hitting the most vulnerable ecosystems and people especially hard, but the actions we take now will make a difference. Every tenth of a degree matters, and we must all play a role in reducing our carbon footprint.
5. Responsible forest management and conservation
Climate change will have significant effects on forests, particularly tropical forests, in the near future. Certain tropical forests have already reached or surpassed their adaptive capabilities, making them vulnerable. It is important to note that these forests serve as natural carbon sinks.
It's no secret that we need to find sustainable ways to manage and preserve forests, protecting our environment. But the good news is that we can also restore damaged ecosystems caused by human activity.
Tapichalaca Reserve - Ecuador, South America: Tapichalaca is home to many endangered and key animal species like: Jocotoco Antpitta, White-necked Parakeet, Golden Plumed Parakeet, Spectacled Bears, Mountain Tapirs, Jaguars and Pumas.
Tapichalaca Reserve is capable of capturing around 381 tonnes of CO2 per hectare, as analyzed by studies conducted on the field.
Click here to contribute in Tapichalaca Conservation.
To make it happen, we need to work together and make inclusive decisions that consider the rights of local communities and indigenous peoples. In fact, their involvement is crucial to the success of forest adaptation in many regions. By recognizing their inherent rights and cooperating with them, we can find solutions that benefit both the environment and the people who depend on it.
The IPCC report is a wake-up call for individuals, businesses, and governments to take immediate and effective climate action. We must work together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, invest in renewable energy and clean technology, and protect vulnerable communities and ecosystems. Although the report is sobering, it also provides hope and a clear path forward. Every tenth of a degree matters, and every action we take today can make a difference in securing a livable future for ourselves and future generations. Let's take action now and work towards a sustainable and equitable world.
What is Green Future Project?
GFP is an innovative B-Corp, providing an end-to-end solution for the development and implementation of corporate ESG strategy and sustainability practices.
Our services are designed to redefine the relationship between business and climate actions, demonstrating that profit and sustainability are and will be increasingly interconnected.
The interactive platform of GFP, enables real-time calculation and monitoring of corporate carbon emissions and energy consumption to mitigate costs and apply concrete insetting (carbon footprint reduction) and offsetting actions. Carbon Offset can be carried out through a portfolio of nature regeneration and conservation projects, renewable energy plant development, and marine habitat regeneration. Working closely with internationally recognized NGOs and organizations from around the world, companies can fund some of the most effective environmental projects, tracking and monitoring the impact of their investment in real time.
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