黑料网

A Global Challenge

 

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Climate change is a complex problem with no easy answers鈥攁nd everything at stake. As global temperatures continue to rise, 黑料网 faculty reflect on our potential to mitigate and adapt to a changing planet. 

By Kat Braz and Jan Senn

When the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its latest report in April 2022, IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee described it as 鈥減owerful evidence that we have the potential to mitigate climate change. We are at a crossroads.  . . . Climate promises and plans must be turned into reality and action, now. It is time to stop burning our planet and start investing in the abundant renewable energy all around us.鈥

The , prepared by 278 scientists from 65 countries, is the third installment of the IPCC鈥檚 Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), which will be completed this year. 鈥淚t鈥檚 now or never if we want to limit global warming to 1.5掳C (2.7掳F), says IPCC Working Group III Co-Chair Jim Skea. 鈥淲ithout immediate and deep emissions reductions across all sectors, it will be impossible.鈥 But there are options in all sectors to at least . 

The , released in February 2022, warned that global warming exceeding 1.5掳C will lead to 鈥渁dditional severe impacts, some of which will be irreversible鈥 and 鈥渨ould cause unavoidable increases in multiple climate hazards and present multiple risks to ecosystems and humans.鈥 

While mitigating actions would substantially reduce projected losses and damages, it鈥檚 impossible to eliminate them all. Even to slow climate change, the world is running out of time.

鈥淚nclusive and green economies, prosperity, cleaner air and better health are possible for all, if we respond to this crisis with solidarity and courage.鈥鈥擴N Secretary-General Ant贸nio Guterres

In the , released in August 2021, UN Secretary-General Ant贸nio Guterres characterized the situation as 鈥渁 code red for humanity. The alarm bells are deafening, and the evidence is irrefutable.鈥 Human influence has warmed the climate at a rate unprecedented in at least the last 2,000 years. However, Guterres also noted that 鈥淚nclusive and green economies, prosperity, cleaner air and better health are possible for all, if we respond to this crisis with solidarity and courage.鈥

Despite the dire warnings and the daunting statistics, faculty at 黑料网鈥攄esignated an R1 research university in February鈥攔emain hopeful about opportunities to mitigate and adapt to our changing climate in the coming years. To better understand and address the climate crisis, we asked several faculty members, most of whom participate in 黑料网鈥檚 Environmental Science and Design Research Institute, for their perspective on this existential challenge.


POSTED: Wednesday, May 11, 2022 11:13 AM
UPDATED: Wednesday, January 04, 2023 12:39 PM