{"id":4893,"date":"2014-04-16T14:11:37","date_gmt":"2014-04-16T19:11:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/?p=4893"},"modified":"2014-04-16T14:11:37","modified_gmt":"2014-04-16T19:11:37","slug":"top-takeaways-from-the-latest-ipcc-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/2014\/04\/16\/top-takeaways-from-the-latest-ipcc-report\/","title":{"rendered":"Top takeaways from the latest IPCC report"},"content":{"rendered":"

(This post originally appeared on EDF Voices<\/a>)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yesterday, the United Nations\u2019 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC<\/a>) released its last report in a three-part series that makes up the fifth assessment report (AR5<\/a>) on the latest data and research on climate change. The reports have been issued\u00a0approximately every five years<\/a>\u00a0since 1990.<\/p>\n

This latest round of reports began in September 2013 with anupdate<\/a>\u00a0on the\u00a0latest science<\/a>\u00a0behind climate change (known as Working Group I). Last month, the\u00a0second report<\/a>\u00a0was released and\u00a0discussed<\/a>\u00a0climate change impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability already observed and projected in the future (known as Working Group II).<\/p>\n

The new\u00a0report<\/a>\u00a0released yesterday (known as Working Group III) discusses actions to limit the magnitude and rate of climate change, termed\u00a0mitigation.\u00a0<\/em>Over 400 experts from over 50 countries<\/a>\u00a0were involved in the development of the report, which was accepted by representatives from 195 nations.<\/p>\n

Here are 5 key findings from the new lPCC report:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Global emissions of heat-trapping gases from human activities have continued to rise.\u00a0<\/strong>Emissions are dominated by carbon dioxide (mainly from fossil fuel combustion and industrial processes), which account for 78% of total greenhouse gas emissions from 1970 to 2010 (when other gas emissions are weighted to incorporate warming capability relative to CO2<\/sub>). Greenhouse gas emissions have grown more rapidly between 2000 and 2010 than in previous decades despite a recent push to limit emissions; economic and population growth are driving these increases and continue to outgrow emission savings from energy improvements.<\/p>\n

2. Action to limit the magnitude and rate of climate change is needed immediately.\u00a0<\/strong>Climate conditions are changing rapidly as shown in\u00a0Working Group I<\/a>, and the impacts to society and ecosystems are unequivocal, consequential, and increasing as shown in\u00a0Working Group II<\/a>. Scenarios to limit warming to 2\u00baC (3.6\u00baF) relative to preindustrial levels require drastic cuts in greenhouse gas emissions by mid-century through large-scale changes in energy systems and land-use practices. The longer we delay action, the more expensive it will be.<\/p>\n

3. It is key to reduce energy demand, deploy low-carbon technologies, and better conserve and manage forestry and agriculture.\u00a0<\/strong>There is a range of technological and behavioral options for sustainable climate actions; nearly one thousand scenarios were analyzed in the report.<\/p>\n