Climate change ‘irreversible’ if fossil fuels stay dominant

The world faces “severe, widespread and irreversible” effects if moves are not made to drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new climate change report.

Solutions are available to cut emissions by 2020, but the pledges made by countries to cut greenhouse gases are not enough, said the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

It’s now up to the politicians – we must safeguard the world for future generations Ed Davey, energy secretary

About 80 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions in recent decades was carbon dioxide from fossil fuels and industrial processes, the IPCC said.

It added that power from low-carbon energy sources, including renewables and nuclear power, would need to be scaled up from 30 per cent of electricity generation now to more than 80 per cent by mid-century to limit rising temperatures.

Climate plans ‘incompatible’

Ed Davey, secretary of state for energy and climate change, said the report “sends a clear message that should be heard across the world – we must act on climate change now”.

The vast majority of coal, oil and gas must remain underground 350.org

“It’s now up to the politicians – we must safeguard the world for future generations by striking a new climate deal in Paris next year,” he added.

Philippe Joubert, chairman of the group, said: “The findings of this report are required reading for government offices and board rooms around the world.”

The IPCC’s conclusions “strengthens the case for fossil fuel divestment”, added May Boeve, executive director of climate campaign group 350.org.

“It clearly states that the vast majority of coal, oil and gas must remain underground and that investments in the sector must fall by tens of billions of dollars a year,” she added.

“The fossil fuel industry’s business plan and a liveable planet are simply incompatible.”

Human influence ‘clear’

The warnings came as the United Nations climate body published the final report of its latest assessment on the science of climate change, drawing together three studies published in the past year.

The IPCC report said global warming was “unequivocal” and human influence on the climate was clear.

We can still avoid the most serious impacts Government’s chief scientific adviser

It was “extremely likely” or more than 95 per cent certain that the majority of the warming since the 1950s was down to human activity, it said.

Massive cuts to greenhouse gas emissions are needed in the coming decades to curb temperature rises to no more than 2C – the level at which it is thought dangerous impacts of climate change will be felt.

‘We can still change’

The world at risk of temperatures soaring by 3.7C to 4.8C or even higher by 2100, the IPCC said.

It added that delaying more action to cut emissions by 2030 means it will be much harder to keep temperature rises to below 2C – the level at which it is thought dangerous impacts of climate change would be felt.

Sir Mark Walport, the government’s chief scientific adviser, said: “We can still avoid the most serious impacts. We need to transform the way we power our lives.

“This will be very challenging, but the challenges for humanity if we do not are likely to be far greater.

“The longer global emissions are allowed to continue to increase year on year the more difficult, and expensive, the transition to a low carbon future will become.”