Actions required to ‘fix’ the climate crisis
We can be quite clear on the types and scale of actions we need to take to ‘stop’ climate change. This is because what needs to happen is defined by the science - by the physics and chemistry that dictate cause and effect. It tells us what results we need to see now and over the next decade to achieve what is required. Knowing precisely by how much and by when we need to act will evolve, and at the moment is not critical. What we know is the action required is much more, and must be taken much faster, than any government is planning for or that the market expects.
This area of rapid transformation has been well studied and analysed and we draw here on a number of such studies and plans. The objective is not to present a single perfect plan but to extract ideas from these studies to show the types of actions an emergency mobilisation implies, that it is possible to achieve, and in fact is not that difficult once we decide the alternative is not acceptable.
The key documents referred to (and from which these actions are extracted) are listed at the end. If you prefer to see what an integrated plan would look like, then we suggest reading one or more of those documents.
The examples of the type of ‘actions’ that need to take place (the ‘how’ we achieve the ‘what’) are arranged in the sections to follow in simple lists in the following categories. Links to sources are provided for each action or goal.
What is needed to restore a safe and stable climate?
Words and numbers have defined this debate for decades. But as Greta Thunberg cautioned “We must stop playing with words and numbers, because we no longer have time for that.” Our goal must now be to focus on restoring a ‘safe’ climate - a climate where natural processes have been reinstated and are generating global average temperatures and ocean acidity that are safe for all species and for civilisation (ie. preindustrial).
We must limit temperatures to 1.5 degrees (not 2 degrees – 2 degrees is not safe FN1 ), invest in rapid cooling options to reduce the risk of runaway feedback in the climate system, and then reduce emissions back to pre-industrial levels (350ppm) by the end of this century so that our natural systems can recalibrate. To do this, the science tells us we need to achieve:
The goal
Footnotes
[FN1] For more information on the impacts of 2 degrees warming compared to 1.5 degrees warming see:
IPCC (2018). SR15: Global Warming of 1.5°C. An IPCC Special Report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty. https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/
Warren, R. etal (2018). Risks associated with global warming 1.5°C or 2°C. Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research Briefing Note https://tyndall.ac.uk/sites/default/files/publications/briefing_note_risks_warren_r1-1.pdf
Shindell, D. etal (2018). Quantified, localized health benefits of accelerated carbon dioxide emissions reductions. Nature Climate Change, Vol.8 pp291-295. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-018-0108-y
The scenarios and actions outlines in this section have been derived from:
1WP: Randers, J & Gilding, P (2010). The one degree war plan. Journal of Global Responsibility, Vol. 1 No. 1 pp 170. https://paulgilding.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/one-degree-war-plan-emerald-version.pdf
TCM: Silk, E (2016) The Climate Mobilization Victory Plan. Published by The Climate Mobilization August 2016, revised March 2019. https://www.theclimatemobilization.org/victory-plan