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UN's Climate Change Report: World on brink of Catastrophic Warming (2/3)
Reading the latest IPCC report on climate change is deeply concerning. The report's blunt language and unassailable facts leave little room for doubt: humanity is responsible for all of the warming of the global climate system, and we are rapidly approaching a catastrophic threshold.
It's disheartening to know that public officials, private investors, and other powerful groups have repeatedly failed to heed scientists' warnings. Despite the IPCC's first study on the dangerous consequences of unchecked warming being published in 1990, more than 40 percent of cumulative carbon emissions have occurred since then. Governments continue to subsidize fossil fuel use, banks and businesses invest more in polluting industries than in climate solutions, and the wealthiest 10 percent of people generate three times as much pollution as the poorest 50 percent.
While the situation is dire, the report also highlights the urgent need for action. Few institutions are acting fast enough to prevent the looming climate crisis, and the consumption habits of individuals must change to limit our carbon footprint. It's concerning that China approved its largest expansion of coal-fired power plants since 2015, and major oil companies are dialing back their clean-energy initiatives while deepening investments in fossil fuels.
The IPCC report also projects that emissions from existing fossil fuel infrastructure will make it impossible to avoid the 1.5-degree threshold. We are rapidly burning through our "carbon budget," and immediate action is needed to prevent catastrophic warming.
As a young woman, I urge governments, businesses, and individuals to take responsibility for their carbon footprint and act now to prevent the worst consequences of climate change. We must transition away from fossil fuels, invest in clean energy, and adopt sustainable practices. Let's work together to protect the planet for future generations.