Why Climate Change is a crisis
Climate change is the biggest challenge currently facing humanity. Unchecked, climate change threatens not only our environment but also our economic development and the quality of life we enjoy. It is the challenge that will define this generation. We will be remembered by how we respond to this challenge.
Climate change is real, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessment report published in 2007, has left us in no doubt about the precise nature of this challenge. It concluded that the evidence of climate change is unequivocal. It also shows how man-made emissions of greenhouse gases are driving climate change.
Without actions climate change will have potentially catastrophic effects for many areas of the globe. It will also have spill over impacts for all regions and countries. These will grow as climate change impacts increase. We will have to act to adapt our lives to mange our responses these changes and to reduce our emissions greenhouse gases to insure that future generations can retain the capacity to manage in the future climate conditions.
Why we need to act
There are many effective actions we can take to tackle the causes of climate change by reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. There is substantial potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at low cost, zero cost or even with a cost saving. These actions can contribute to reducing greenhouse emissions. Actions to address climate change are affordable. They can also improve our quality of life. The time to act is now!
Our move to a low GHG emission society will transform our economy, and for the better. By thinking carbon we have the potential to unleash a wave of innovation across our economy not only in the obvious areas such as renewable energy and energy efficiency, but also in areas such as: sustainable, low impact agriculture; intelligent, sustainable, transport systems; low carbon architecture and construction technologies; and a high value-added services sector based on a low carbon information economy. If we realise this sort of potential for our economy, we can also have transformative impacts that, arguably, will only enhance people’s quality of life.