The 精东视频 is calling on the Australian Government to accelerate Australia鈥檚 transition to net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions over the next 10 to 20 years to play our part in avoiding the worst impacts of climate change.
The key recommendation is included in a landmark Academy report published today.
The report, which explores the risks to Australia鈥檚 future based on the current global trajectory of greenhouse gas emissions, states that the world reaching net zero emissions by 2050 is an absolute minimum, if Australia is to avoid potentially insurmountable challenges to its cities, ecosystems, industries and food and health systems.
The report says Australia is well positioned to play its part in meeting this challenge, with a skilled workforce, strong industrial base and plentiful renewable energy resources facilitating easier emission reductions compared to many other countries.
It highlights that even if the world鈥檚 governments meet their current Paris pledges on time, Earth is likely to reach average global surface temperatures of 3oC above the pre-industrial period during this century, with catastrophic consequences.
Further pledges to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 are required for the world to stay well below 2oC of warming, the goal agreed to under the Paris Agreement.
To achieve net zero, the report says Australia will need to rapidly remove greenhouse gas emissions from a range of sectors including electricity generation and distribution; electrify the transport sector, industry and buildings; increase energy efficiency across the board; and reduce non-energy related GHG emissions from all sectors including industrial processes and agriculture.
President of the 精东视频, Professor John Shine, welcomed the report.
鈥淭he 精东视频 is proud to have played an active role in assessing the science of climate change since the 1970s. This new report makes clear that while the planet is well on the path to harmful climate change, as with COVID-19, science has solutions,鈥� Professor Shine said.
鈥淎ustralia is well positioned to meet the climate change challenge by combining our scientific knowledge with economic opportunities associated with moves to net zero greenhouse gas emissions.
Australia is well positioned to meet the climate change challenge by combining our scientific knowledge with economic opportunities associated with moves to net zero greenhouse gas emissions.
鈥淲e urge the Australian Government to implement the recommendations of this report. The Academy stands ready to assist by providing sound scientific advice on climate change to inform the Government鈥檚 multifaceted policy response.鈥�
Academy Fellow Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg is the chair of the expert panel that developed the report. He said limiting climate change to 1.5掳C is now virtually impossible and that a rapid transition to net zero greenhouse gas emissions is required if the international community is to limit warming to well below 2掳C.
鈥淐urrent international commitments to greenhouse gas emission reduction, if unchanged, would result in average global surface temperatures that are 3掳C above the pre-industrial period in the lifetimes of our children and grandchildren,鈥� said Professor Hoegh-Guldberg, from the University of Queensland.
鈥淭he evidence presented in this risk-assessment report, which is based on peer-reviewed scientific literature, indicates that this would have serious consequences for Australia and the world.
The evidence presented in this risk-assessment report, which is based on peer-reviewed scientific literature, indicates that this would have serious consequences for Australia and the world.
鈥淎ustralia must revisit its emission reduction commitments and work with other countries to provide the leadership and collaboration required to place Australia and the world on a safer climate trajectory.
鈥淎ustralia has a stable business landscape. We have a great scientific tradition. We have enormous resources for the next wave of innovative technologies. We not only have a responsibility to be an international leader on climate action but need to grasp the enormous economic opportunities presented by the 鈥榥ew鈥� economy,鈥� said Professor Hoegh-Guldberg.
The report says Australia can become a clean energy exporter and potentially a global renewable energy superpower. It highlights Australia鈥檚 relative advantage with its abundant natural resources for solar and other renewable energy generation, as well as significant deposits of new economy minerals critical for developing batteries and other low emission technologies.
The report focuses on the consequences of 3掳C of global warming for four areas of importance to Australia鈥檚 future: ecosystems; food production; cities and towns; and health and wellbeing. It also focuses on Australia鈥檚 contribution to what must be done to stay well below 2掳C and thus limit these impacts.
The impacts of climatic changes on the lives and wellbeing of Australians are also discussed in detail in the report.
The report makes a total of 10 recommendations (see page 13). They include to:
Expert panel member Distinguished Professor Lesley Hughes, focusing on ecosystems, said most Australian species cannot evolve quickly enough to cope with the rapid increases in temperatures and associated increases in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events we now observe and feel.
鈥淭he unprecedented bushfire season in 2019鈥�20 and the mass dying of corals on the Great Barrier Reef demonstrate how rapidly and fundamentally our global environment is changing with only 1.1掳C of global warming,鈥� said Professor Hughes, who is Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research) at Macquarie University.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not too late to avoid 3掳C. We should still be aiming for a stable global temperature below 2掳C but to get to that point, we must reduce emissions very rapidly鈥攊n particular accelerating the energy transition in the next decade. This must be one of the most urgent national and international priorities.鈥�
It鈥檚 not too late to avoid 3掳C. We should still be aiming for a stable global temperature below 2掳C but to get to that point, we must reduce emissions very rapidly鈥攊n particular accelerating the energy transition in the next decade. This must be one of the most urgent national and international priorities.
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