Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Warning

plant in landscape suffering drought

The catastrophic impact caused by rising greenhouse gases

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s 6th Assessment Report (AR6) has shocked the scientific world and beyond. More than 250 climate scientists worked on this eight-year assessment, which drew an alarming conclusion about the catastrophic impact caused by rising greenhouse gases.

The report highlights that we are already experiencing the effects of 1.1 degrees Celsius warming, including summer arctic ice coverage, ocean acidification, and rising carbon dioxide levels. Moreover, it discusses the irreversible effects that can occur at as low as a 1.5-degree overshoot, including species extinction and loss of life.

The UN’s Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has urged nations to abandon the 2050 net-zero target for stronger 2040 packs while calling for developed nations to phase out coal by 2030 and block new oil or gas extraction. This, he believes, could hold us at the 1.5-degree warming cap. The upcoming COP28 in the UAE in November and December will be a true test of the global commitment to tackling climate change. However, with the chair being the CEO of the 12th largest oil business, there are concerns about softening approaches.

The AR6 shows that we are close to the point of no return and that the impacts of climate change require immediate action.

This is a summary article from Edge2020 – read the original article.

The team Edge Utilities are passionate about renewables and sustainability, we are energy brokers with an eye on the planet. We are committed to helping councils and business communities reach their net zero goals through renewable power purchasing agreements (PPAs) and smart portfolio management.
To discuss options and plans for your community contact us at save@edgeutilities.com.au  or call us on 1800 334 336 to discuss. 

 

AEMO TO FASTTRACK TO NET ZERO EMMISSIONS

 

On Friday, the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) published its 2021 Inputs, Assumption and Scenarios Report (IASR) which includes five scenario’s which may take the industry into the future. The five scenarios range from the slow change where not much happens in relation to technology changes and the existing generation mix right through to the Hydrogen superpower where changes in technology make huge advancements. The scenarios outlined in the IASR will form part of the 2022 Integrated System Plan (ISP).

AEMO have spent the last 10 months working with industry, governments, and consumers to build the scenarios. During consultation, most stakeholders supported the rapid decarbonisation scenarios leading to achieving net-zero emissions.

Compared to the input to the 2020 ISP, the 2022 ISP will include economy wide decarbonisation not just across the electricity sector and increased investment in distributed energy resources. To model decarbonisation across the economy, the 2022 ISP will include scenarios of electrification across industry and the transport sector.

To understand how the market moves to a lower carbon world, AEMO have modelled a ‘steady progress’ scenario and a ‘net zero’ scenario. The steady progress scenario employs existing government policy including emission abatement targets and a steady growth in the uptake of PV. In the Net-zero scenario the change in the electricity industry is driven by technology led emission abatement and progressive tightening of emissions targets leading to net zero emission by 2050.

AEMO have also modelled a ‘Hydrogen superpower’ scenario where the market is structured to support the development of a renewable hydrogen export economy.

A draft ISP will be published in December with the final ISP released in June 2022.