The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently released a report saying that from 2010 to 2019, the global average annual emissions of greenhouse gases were at the highest level in history. Scientists have warned that without deep emissions reductions, global temperatures could rise by 3.2 degrees Celsius by the end of the century, making it impossible to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius in line with the 2015 Paris Agreement.
On the 4th, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that in order to keep the "red line" of 1.5 degrees Celsius, governments should reassess energy policies, reduce the use of fossil energy, improve energy efficiency and use clean fuels. Guterres emphasized that if emissions reduction measures are not taken as soon as possible, climate warming will flood many large cities around the world, and will also lead to "unprecedented heat waves, storms, widespread water shortages and the extinction of millions of animals and plants". Extreme phenomena occur.
The report believes that in order to alleviate climate warming, countries should develop solar, wind and other renewable energy sources. The report shows that in recent years, the use cost of some renewable energy has been greatly reduced, and it has become competitive with traditional energy sources such as coal and natural gas, and sometimes the cost of power generation is even lower. However, the upfront cost of installing solar panels and wind turbines is high, so some poor countries are still lagging behind in the use of solar and wind energy. The report calls on rich countries to contribute to helping poor countries develop renewable energy and promote energy transition.
The report also recommends that countries increase their efforts in research and development of emission reduction technologies. At present, some new technologies have been developed. Some companies have invented machines that can absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, but some scientists have expressed doubts about whether the technology will work because of the high cost of application and the small scope of promotion. Another researcher said that fertilization through the ocean can promote the proliferation of plankton to absorb carbon dioxide. The method has been proven effective, but scientists are not sure whether some algal organisms will bring side effects to marine ecology.
According to the report, as long as the right policies, infrastructure and technology are implemented to change human lifestyles and behaviors, greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced by 40%-70% by 2050.