Chennai: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report makes it clear that the world will witness greater sea level rise, higher frequency of droughts and floods, and heatwaves and countries like India with large populations dependent on the agricultural and fishery sectors, would be highly impacted, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) an environmental think-tank has said.
Coastal nations and agricultural economies like India would be the worst affected, the report said, adding a decline in crop yields, unprecedented climate extremes and increased susceptibility could push poverty by several million by 2050.
“The world needs a 'Plan B' to address climate change. India must take the lead in forming a global coalition for a 1.5°C world to save its poor and vulnerable population," CSE said.
"Even at a little over 1.0°C warming, India is being battered by the worst climate extremes – it is clear that the situation at 1.5°C is going to worsen. The new report from IPCC has served us a final warning that we must get our act together -- now and quickly," said Sunita Narain.
CSE has therefore made certain recommendations to follow. "If the world insists on sticking to the 2.0°C target, in all probability it will overshoot it.
However, if the world agrees to keep warming within 1.5°C, it can contain it well within 2.0°C," they said, adding that developed countries must take the lead by rapidly de-carbonising their economies as well as reducing consumption.
The 1.5°C report states that the final energy demand in 2100 will be 20-60 per cent higher relative to the 2014 levels across available 1.5°C scenarios.
Addressing this in a sustainable manner implies de-carbonising existing consumption, as well as drastically reducing consumption going forward, especially in the developed world. In the developing world, the focus must be more on rapid adoption of low carbon growth.
“A fossil fuel-free energy system and investments in energy efficiency will help grow the economy in most scenarios. Developing countries must seize this opportunity," Sunita Narain said.
