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Buddhistdoor View: Irreversible Climate Change—One Decade Left

By Buddhistdoor Global | | Buddhistdoor Global

It is no exaggeration to say that unless dramatic steps are taken at a global level to address climate change in the next 10 years or so, the current generation will leave behind a planetary ecosphere that is unhealthy and even uninhabitable for future generations. Coastal regions, from island nations to continental shorelines, will be submerged. Ocean temperatures will wipe out a significant portion of sea life. Not only will starvation and resource conflict be prevalent, but also large tracts of places like the Middle East may become unfit for human settlements, which will likely trigger immense migration patterns and exacerbate an already volatile political landscape. Global upheaval is not some dystopian science fiction novel: it is bubbling away and will erupt within 10 or so years should things continue the way they are. A recent special report approved by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in Incheon, South Korea, warned that “rapid, far-reaching, and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society” must be undertaken to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. “One of the key messages that comes out very strongly from this report is that we are already seeing the consequences of 1°C of global warming through more extreme weather, rising sea levels, and diminishing Arctic sea ice, among other changes,” said Zhai Panmao, co-chair of IPCC Working Group I. Co-chair Valerie Masson-Delmotte, noted: “Some of the kinds of actions that would be needed to limit global warming to 1.5ºC are already underway around the world,” but these measures still need dramatic acceleration. (IPCC) There is no one single force to blame, as the roots of climate change are manifold and interconnected. When we survey countries around the world, the picture is mixed. China’s coal output has remained the highest in the world despite real efforts in sustainable energy, while Australia remains the world’s largest coal exporter. Li Ning, nuclear scientist and dean of the College of Energy at Xiamen University, observed: “With renewables ramping up so quickly, it has given the illusion of decarbonisation, but China is falling into the same trap that Germany has fallen into—deploying lots of renewables that have to be backed up with lots of coal-fired power plants.” (CNBC)