The world needs a new approach to dealing with environmental crises that threaten the health of people and the planet by adopting policies to jointly address them Climate changeLoss of biodiversity, land degradation and pollution, according to a UN report released on Tuesday.
The authors of the quadrennial Global Environment Outlook, which UNEP produces, said these issues are inextricably linked and require solutions that include increased spending and financial incentives to transition away from fossil fuels, encourage sustainable agricultural practices, reduce pollution and reduce waste.
“You can’t think about climate change without thinking about biodiversity, land degradation and pollution,” said Bob Watson, one of the lead authors and a former senior British climate scientist at NASA and Britain. “You can’t think about biodiversity loss without thinking about the implications of climate change and pollution.”
All of these “undermine our economy,” worsen health and poverty, and threaten food and water security and even national security, Watson said.
Nearly 300 scientists from 83 countries contributed to this year’s report – called the most comprehensive global environmental assessment ever – which was released during the United Nations Environment Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya.
Experts have warned that the world is approaching a tipping point regarding climate change, species, land loss and other damage. But they said efforts to address these problems have been largely pursued through individual agreements that have not made nearly enough progress.
Instead, they call for an approach that includes all areas of government, the financial sector, industry and citizens and a circular economy that recognizes that natural resources are finite.
“What we are saying is that we can become more sustainable, but it will take unprecedented change to transform these systems,” Watson said. “It has to happen quickly now because we’re running out of time.”
The report paints a harsh future if the world continues on its current path.
Emissions of greenhouse gases – mainly from burning fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil – will reach a new high in 2024, despite decades of negotiations between countries to limit emissions.
Ten years ago, about 200 countries signed the convention Paris Agreement With the aim of limiting future temperature rises to no more than 1.5°C (2.7°F) since pre-industrial times to avoid or reduce the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. On the current trajectory, the climate could warm by 2.4 degrees Celsius (4 degrees Fahrenheit) by 2100, Watson said.
Scientists say climate change is contributing to an increase in wildlife extreme weather events, Including severe storms, drought, heat and wildfires.
What’s more, climate change is a threat multiplier, meaning it makes things like land degradation, deforestation and biodiversity loss worse, says Katherine Hayhoe, a climate scientist at Texas Tech University and chief scientist at The Nature Conservancy, who was not involved in the report.
“If we don’t fix climate change, we won’t be able to fix these other problems either,” Hayhoe said.
Other challenges include: the degradation of up to 40% of the world’s land area; More than a million species of plants and animals are threatened with extinction; Pollution contributes to an estimated 9 million deaths annually.
Scientists acknowledge that adopting a comprehensive approach would be costly, but far less costly than the damage that would result.
The report says that to achieve the goal of reducing emissions to zero by 2050 and restoring biodiversity, about $8 trillion in global investment is needed each year. But starting in 2050, economic benefits will outpace spending, growing to $20 trillion annually by 2070, and then to $100 trillion annually after that.
Countries must also look beyond GDP as a measure of economic health, Watson said, because it does not measure whether growth is sustainable or recognize its potential harms.
Environmental issues aren’t the only things interconnected, Watson said. He also said that governments, non-profits, industry and the financial sector must also ensure there are incentives and financing for renewable energy and sustainable agricultural practices, for example.
University of Pennsylvania climate scientist Michael Mann, who was not involved in the report, welcomed its focus on addressing issues across governments and society.
“We have to do what is right, not what seems politically expedient,” Mann said. “The risks are simply too great.”
Despite the report’s urgent call to action, international cooperation is far from guaranteed, scientists say — especially since US President Donald Trump has refused to participate in many of the discussions.
Trump, who withdrew the United States from the Paris Agreement, called climate change a hoax. He has encouraged the use of fossil fuels, revoked renewable energy permits, and abandoned fuel efficiency standards for cars.
“International action and agreements are getting harder and harder,” Watson said, noting that this year’s UN climate conference in Brazil failed to “move in the direction we wanted it to move” with stronger commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other issues.
Talks this summer on a treaty to tackle plastic pollution ended in Geneva without reaching an agreement, although a UN conference earlier this year secured commitments to fund global biodiversity protection.
The United States did not attend the intergovernmental meeting in Nairobi, but joined the discussions on the final day and “said it did not agree with anything in the report,” Watson said.
“Some countries might say if the United States is not willing to act, why should we act?” Watson said.
However, he believes that some countries will move forward, while others, including the United States, may fall behind.
Hayhoe, the Texas technologist, said she is confident changes will happen because the risks have become so high.
“It’s not about saving the planet,” Hayhoe said. “The planet will be orbiting the sun long after we’re gone.” “The question is: Will there be a healthy, thriving human community on this planet? The answer to that question is very accessible at this point.”
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