The final sentence of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report, which was released at the end of February this year, clearly states the threat that we are facing: “The scientific evidence is unequivocal: climate change is a threat to human well-being and the health of the planet. Any further delay in concerted global action will miss a brief and rapidly closing window to secure a liveable future.”
Scientists are clear. As Russia invaded Ukraine, Svitlana Krakovska, the climate scientist who heads the Ukraine delegation to the IPCC said: “…we hope the world will not surrender in building a climate-resilient future…Human-induced climate change and the war on Ukraine have the same roots – fossil fuels – and our dependence on them.”
Fossil fuels power the worst crises facing our planet.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) asserts that the exploitation and development of new oil and gas fields must stop and no new coal-fired power stations built: “If governments are serious about the climate crisis, there can be no new investments in oil, gas and coal, from now – from this year.” Faith Birol, executive director IEA, The Guardian May 2021
We know what we need to do.
- ‘Now is the time to accelerate the energy transition to a renewable energy future. Fossil fuels are a dead end – for our planet, for humanity, and yes, for economies. A prompt, well-managed transition to renewables is the only pathway to energy security, universal access and the green jobs our world needs.’ Antonio Guterres, Secretary General, United Nations, February 2022
- Reduce our energy use by trying to make our homes as energy efficient as possible by draught proofing and insulation – saving energy and saving money