IPCC’s latest report titled, ‘Climate Change 2021: the Physical Science Basis’ is a stark reminder of the climate change and its impact on us. The report has made some alarming revelations about the causes of changes in weather events.
Here are the key points we should note.
1. The global temperatures rose by about 1.1 degree Celsius compared to pre-industrial times, and we could reach the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold before 2040.
2. Heat waves will become more intense in the Indian subcontinent in the 21st century.
Heat extremes have increased while cold extremes have decreased, and these trends will continue over the coming decades.
3. India will experience an increase in the monsoon precipitation.
In the Indian Ocean, the sea temperature is heating at a higher rate than other areas, and therefore may influence other regions. The South West Monsoon has declined over the past few decades because of the increase of aerosols, but once this reduces, we will experience heavy monsoon rainfall.
4. The report found indisputable evidence that global warming was being caused by human activities.
The main finding of the report is that climate change is a fact, warming is a fact and that the warming has taken place because of human influence is now well established… There is no going back from some of these changes. Even if we limit temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels, we will continue to see extreme weather events.
5. The harm that has been done cannot be reversed now like the rising sea levels and melting glaciers.
6. We are almost out of time. If we want to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, we must emit no more than 400 billion more tonnes of carbon dioxide.
The report states that 1.5 degree celsius will be reached by 2040 in all scenarios. If emissions aren’t slashed in the next few years, this will happen even earlier.
7. The past five years have been the hottest on record since 1850.
8. The report believes that we can still the avert the impact of climate change if we reduce our GHG emissions drastically.
We will have to aim to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
The report comes at a time when we are already grappling with environmental challenges. If this doesn’t ring the alarm, nothing else will.