Air Quality News and CNET both have reports about the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report released today, April 4.
The IPCC states that to limit warming to 1.5oC in order to avoid the most devastating harm, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions need to peak before 2025. In addition, GHG emissions need to be cut by 50% by 2030. Secretary Guterres states we need to triple the speed of our shift to renewable energy.
The report also states: We have the tools and the know-how to do this. We know how to install solar and wind power. We know what we need to do to upgrade the grid. We can build clean EV buses, trucks, and cars and install charging infrastructure. We know how to conserve energy in homes and commercial buildings – LED lightbulbs, weatherizing, insulation, and more. The fastest, cheapest, easiest way to make less GHG is to not use it in the first place. Prices for solar, wind, and batteries have decreased 85% in the last 12 years, so all of this is much more affordable.
IPCC Working Group Co-Chair Priyadarshi Shukla stated: “The evidence also shows that these lifestyle changes can improve our health and wellbeing.” We know from evidence that air pollution has such a strong influence on health and GDP, that our lives will be better when we reduce fuels that make both GHG and air pollution. As Mothers & Others For Clean Air says: Healthy Air IS Health Care. As we transition to clean renewable energy and transportation, we will be so much healthier and workers will work so much better, a clean energy future is where we ALL thrive and we also boost the economy.
YOU can make a difference, and YOUR VOICE IS NEEDED:
* Please call ALL your elected officials from the President to senators to your governor to your city/county leaders.
* Talk to your school board and school transportation director about EV school buses.
* Call your Public Utilities regulators or EMC board about requiring more solar and wind from your power company or EMC.
* Talk to your employer about what can be done where you work.
* If you have the ability, install solar on your home, and buy an EV car as soon as you can afford to do it. Convert to all electric appliances and stop using methane gas for cooking, heating, or hot water.
* If you are a member of a congregation, talk to them about installing solar or other clean energy.
* If you own stock in a company, write to them as a shareholder to ask what they are doing to transition to clean energy.
* If you volunteer with a charitable organization, ask them how they are incorporating the shift to clean energy in the work they do.
Everyone can pitch in, and together we can do it!
Read the report in Air Quality News here.
Read the report in CNET here.
Read the IPCC press release here, and the full IPCC report here.
04/04/2022
