Can we Survive?

The climate experts say production of coal, oil and gas must fall by 6% a year until 2030 to keep global heating under the 1.5C target agreed in the Paris accord and avoid “severe climate disruption”. 

But governments are planning production rises of 2% a year.

 The G20 countries are giving 50% more coronavirus recovery funding to fossil fuels than to clean energy. The Production Gap report says G20 governments have committed more than $230bn (£173bn) in Covid-19-related funding to fossil fuel production and consumption to date, far more than the $150bn to clean energy. But it found that between 2020 and 2030, global coal, oil, and gas production must fall by 11%, 4%, and 3% a year respectively, to meet the 1.5C target.

The Covid-19 pandemic is expected to cut production in 2020 by 7%, the report says, but this barely changes the total production expected by 2030. Countries are on track to produce more than double the amount of fossil fuels consistent with a 1.5C limit by that date.

Ivetta Gerasimchuk, at the International Institute for Sustainable Development and a lead author of the report, explained:

 “Alas, in 2020 we saw many governments doubling down on fossil fuels. Instead of governments letting these fossil fuel projects die, they resurrect them from death – it’s kind of zombie energy.”

Michael Lazarus, at the Stockholm Environment Institute and another author of the report, pointed out that:

“The research is abundantly clear that we face severe climate disruption if countries continue to produce fossil fuels at current levels, let alone at their planned increases,”

Inger Andersen, the head of the UN environment programme (Unep), said: 

"...we find ourselves at a critical juncture where decisions can either further lock in fossil fuel energy systems or transition us to a cleaner and safer future."

Meanwhile, the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, warned, "The science is clear unless the world cuts fossil fuel production by 6% every year between now and 2030, things will get worse. Much worse." He continued, "Apocalyptic fires and floods, cyclones and hurricanes are the new normal. Biodiversity is collapsing. Deserts are spreading. Oceans are choking with plastic waste."

The UN chief went on to say, "Our planet is broken." He said, humanity is waging what he describes as a "suicidal" war on the natural world. "Nature always strikes back, and is doing so with gathering force and fury." 

He announced that its "central objective" next year will be to build a global coalition around the need to reduce emissions to net zero which refers to cutting greenhouse gas emissions as far as possible and balancing any further releases by removing an equivalent amount from the atmosphere.

Mr Guterres said that every country, city, financial institution and company "should adopt plans for a transition to net zero emissions by 2050". In his view, they will also need to take decisive action now to put themselves on the path towards achieving this vision. The objective will be to cut global emissions by 45% by 2030 compared with 2010 levels.

World is ‘doubling down’ on fossil fuels despite climate crisis – UN report | Environment | The Guardian