![]() In an initiative led by the University of Leeds with researchers including Prof Thorne, they have developed an open data, open science platform – including the Indicators of Global Climate Change dashboard and website igcc.earth – which will be updated on key climate indicators annually. The IPCC is the most authoritative source of scientific information on the state of the Earth’s climate but turnaround time for its major assessments is five or 10 years, which creates an “information gap”, particularly when climate indicators are changing rapidly, the scientists warn. Given the speed at which the global climate system is changing, the scientists argue that policymakers, climate negotiators and civil society groups need to have access to up-to-date and robust scientific evidence on which to base decisions. The agency’s latest projections show that almost all sectors are on a trajectory to exceed their national ceilings, including agriculture, industry, electricity and transport. Last week the EPA projected that Ireland would achieve a reduction of only 29 per cent in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, far short of a legally binding target of 51 per cent, a core part of the Government’s climate policy. Ultimately the climate system will respond to our collective emissions and does not care a whit about special pleading from every sector as to why they can’t reduce emissions.” That means taking seriously recent warnings from EPA and others that we are currently off-course and redoubling efforts to get back on track. On implications for the Government, Prof Thorne said: “The findings increase yet further the urgency of meeting our legal obligations under the amended Climate Act. Every saved emission is a reduced climate impact,” he underlined. At no point should we throw up our hands in despair. ![]() “If we pass 1.5 the next best thing we can do is stop warming reaching 1.6 and so on and so forth. The latest data “increases the urgency of Cop28, if we have any hope of ‘keeping 1.5 alive’ although, in reality, the best we can now hope for is probably 1.5 degrees with little or low overshoot”. Decisions made now will have an impact on how much temperatures will rise and the degree and severity of impacts we will see as a result’ ‘This is the critical decade for climate change. ![]() ![]() “Already since the IPCC assessment of the physical science basis in 2021 key numbers have changed markedly and we remain well off track globally to avert warming above 1.5 degrees,” he added.Īsked if he was surprised by the extent of deterioration within such a short period, Prof Thorne said: “The deterioration in these key metrics of climate change at such a pace is consistent with expectations of an accelerating climate system response as we continue to increase global GHG emissions.” IPCC author and director of ICARUS climate research centre at Maynooth University Prof Peter Thorne, who contributed to the research, said it was critical that policymakers and the general public be made aware of “how quickly we are changing the climate through our collective activities”. ![]()
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