Here’s what you should know about the IPCC’s latest report

You’ve seen it all over the news and on your social feed, but you feel overwhelmed. That’s completely fair. Let’s break it down.

Unpacking the basics

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change.

The IPCC was created to provide policymakers with regular scientific assessments on climate change, its implications and potential future risks, as well as to put forward adaptation and mitigation options.

This week, a years in the making report was released by the IPCC. It’s a very grim read, but it shouldn’t be anything too surprising – it’s filled with everything climate scientists have been shouting from the rooftops for years.

So what are the key facts?

Most importantly, it was reiterated once again that climate change is absolutely and ‘unequivocally’ caused by human activity. These aren’t normal climate patterns.

What’s next is a scary. 

You know how we’ve seen having so many natural (or not so natural, if they’re human induced) disasters lately? Wildfires, floods, cyclones, drought? This is because we’re not headed to climate crisis, we’re in it.

Well, further major climate change is both inevitable and irreversible. These events will become more frequent and intense. Some countries may even be lost under rising seas.

Why?

This is all because as things stand, it is unlikely we’re able to stick to the 2015 Paris Agreement – a legally binding international treaty on climate change – in which 190 countries and the European Union agreed to make serious changes that would ensure fewer emissions, so that temperatures wouldn’t rise another 1.5 degrees. We haven’t been doing enough. Our governments haven’t acted in our best interest.

It’s very likely this 1.5 degree limit will be exceeded in the next 20 years. Unless we act right now. No more delays.

“[This report] is a code red for humanity. The alarm bells are deafening, and the evidence is irrefutable: greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel burning and deforestation are choking our planet and putting billions of people at immediate risk." - UN Secretary General

Let’s talk about the cause

We know that we can’t have a hopeful future unless fossil fuels have no future. The industry knew about the climate crisis over 40 years ago but covered it up, spreading misinformation for the sake of profit.

Today, animal agricultural industries producing leather, wool, meat and dairy are using these same cover up tactics, ignoring how harmful the methane tied to the rearing of ruminant animals (like cattle, sheep and goats) really is for the planet.

On methane

The IPCC report makes clear just how harmful methane is. Methane from farmed animals passing gas (called enteric fermentation), manure, as well as fracking has contributed greatly to the droughts, fires, floods and other symptoms of the climate crisis we see today.

In fact, the report shows that methane has caused two thirds of the amount of present day warming as carbon, in fact more, when accounting for the temporary cooling of aerosol pollution which comes with carbon emissions from burning fuel.

Here’s what we know

We know that change should have happened already – and so it’s now or never to stay under the 1.5 degrees which will save us from further, serious climate crisis.

We also know that methane, not only carbon, is a significant driver of the climate crisis that will continue to greatly harm our planet should we continue with business as usual.

So what can we do?

Here are a few powerful actions you can take today

1. Vote for the climate at your next election.

Get political. Ask current government officials locally and nationally what they are doing for the planet. Vote out those who are inactive and in denial.


2. Don’t buy any leather or wool products from fashion brands.

This and eating plant-based is extremely important to consider. These materials are responsible for massive emissions.

3. Move your money into an environmentally friendly bank, and do the same for your super.

Your money is powerful, not matter how much you have. Don’t give industries doing the wrong thing have access to it.

4. Consume less.

Unfollow influencers who encourage shopping hauls, unsubscribe from the email lists of brands who keep pushing you to buy more stuff. You probably don’t need it, and if you think you do, sit on your decision for a while before making it.

5. Share this and make noise.

It’s so important that this stay at the centre of our attention.

(With thanks to Dr Matthew Hayek, whose science communication around the impact of methane outlined in the IPCC report contributed greatly to the writing of this article.)