The science has spoken, and the government must act now to address climate change with urgency, said climate change expert Rosa Perez, one of the lead authors of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) upon the release of the latest IPCC Synthesis report this week.
According to the synthesis report which summarizes the findings of the fifth assessment report, human influence on the climate system is clear and growing, with impacts observed on all continents. If left unchecked, climate change will increase the likelihood of severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts for people and ecosystems.
Perez, who recently briefed journalists in the Philippines on the IPCC synthesis report, said that it is certain that human activities are having an impact on the climate and that governments must act together in order to avert its devastating impact.
“ The longer we delay climate action, the cost will be higher in the future to tackle it. There is also a need to have substantial greenhouse gas emissions to ensure that climate impacts will remain manageable,” Perez said.
Perez highlighted that vulnerable, poor countries like the Philippines will be highly impacted by climate change such as extreme weather events, sea level rise, flooding and drought.
Produced by more than 800 scientists, the report combined the IPCC’s three major reports on into one concise document. These reports are: The Physical Science Basis released in September 2013; Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability released in march 2014; and the Mitigation of Climate Change released in April 2014.
The synthesis report said that the more human activity disrupts the climate, the greater the risks. Continued emissions of greenhouse gases will cause further warming and long-lasting changes in all components of the climate cystem, increasing the likelihood of widespread and profound impacts affecting all levels of society and the natural world, it said.
However, it said that there are options available to adapt to climate change and implementing stringent mitigations activities can ensure that the impacts of climate change remain within a manageable range.
Climate Change Commission Secretary Mary Ann Lucille Sering, on the other hand, said that governments must “seriously tackle” climate change at the international and local level, adding that Lima and Paris climate talks will be crucial in addressing the issue.
“ Policymakers and world leaders can make a difference in addressing the issue on climate change by acting together and agreeing on a just deal in the coming climate change negotiations,” Sering said. “ Poorer countries like the Philippines are heavily impacted by climate change and we have been experiencing its devastating impact already.”
“The scientific case for prioritizing action on climate change is clearer than ever,” said Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the IPCC. “We have little time before the window of opportunity to stay within 2ºC of warming closes.”
“ To keep a good chance of staying below 2ºC, and at manageable costs, our emissions should drop by 40 to 70 percent globally between 2010 and 2050, falling to zero or below by 2100. We have that opportunity, and the choice is in our hands.”
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