Point of No Return. Climate Change in a 'Dead' State
World
Renowned climate scientist Professor James Hansen emphasized that the speed of global warming has been significantly underestimated and stated that the 2°C target is "dead." He and his colleagues concluded that the reduction in shipping pollution, which blocks sunlight (oil fuel oil), and the emissions from fossil fuels are having a greater impact on the climate than previously thought.
Hansen, a professor at Columbia University, warned about the serious consequences of climate breakdown in his testimony before the UN Congress in 1988, explaining the issue to the public.
“The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) defined a scenario with a 50% chance of keeping warming below 2°C – that scenario is now impossible,” he said. “The 2°C target is dead because global energy consumption is rising, and it will continue to rise.”
The new analysis suggests that global warming may reach 2°C by 2045. In 2015, world nations pledged under the Paris Agreement to limit global temperature rise to below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and strive for 1.5°C. The climate crisis has already intensified extreme weather, with 1.3°C of warming causing significant harm to people and economies — 2°C would be far worse.
According to Hansen, the accelerated pace of climate change will lead to ice melting in the Arctic and increase the risk of the collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). This could happen within 20-30 years unless actions are taken to reduce global warming.
Hansen called this situation the “point of no return” and urged people to be vigilant and not ignore nature.
“The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) defined a scenario with a 50% chance of keeping warming below 2°C – that scenario is now impossible,” he said. “The 2°C target is dead because global energy consumption is rising, and it will continue to rise.”
The new analysis suggests that global warming may reach 2°C by 2045. In 2015, world nations pledged under the Paris Agreement to limit global temperature rise to below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and strive for 1.5°C. The climate crisis has already intensified extreme weather, with 1.3°C of warming causing significant harm to people and economies — 2°C would be far worse.
According to Hansen, the accelerated pace of climate change will lead to ice melting in the Arctic and increase the risk of the collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). This could happen within 20-30 years unless actions are taken to reduce global warming.
Hansen called this situation the “point of no return” and urged people to be vigilant and not ignore nature.
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