The latest IPCC report shows, that the climate protection efforts of all countries, including Switzerland, have been insufficient to date. The IPCC also clearly emphasizes the responsibility of the richest countries in the fight against the climate crisis.
The third part of the sixth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) shows that climate protection by all countries is still extremely inadequate. It also shows how the climate crisis can be managed, and what room mankind has to act in order to limit global warming to 1.5°C. "Solutions would be available, and it is still possible to prevent the climate catastrophe," emphasizes Georg Klingler, climate and energy expert at Greenpeace Switzerland. He continues, "But the window of opportunity to avoid climate collapse is closing. We have to free ourselves from fossil energy dependency very quickly. Every liter of oil and every cubic meter of gas burned exacerbates the climate crisis."
The richest countries have a responsibility
The IPCC also emphasizes very clearly the responsibility of the richest countries in the fight against the climate crisis. These countries, including Switzerland, would have to make their climate policies much more ambitious if they really wanted to counteract global warming, the authors say. UN Secretary-General António Guterres even accuses the countries of "criminal failure" in climate protection. According to the IPCC, 3.6 billion people are already at risk from the consequences of climate change
Four key risks are threatening Europe
According to the IPCC, global warming of 1.1°C. to date is already having an impact on natural and man-made systems in Europe, as can be read on umweltnetz-schweiz.ch. Heat waves and droughts have already become more frequent. In the future, far-reaching negative consequences of climate change will affect the southern European regions in particular. The IPCC identifies four key risks: Heat waves, which would massively increase the risk of severe health damage and death. In addition, there would be heat stress on food crops, as well as water scarcity and flooding risks, which alone would lead to a tenfold increase in coastal damage by 2100 if current warming continues. One of the scenarios run in the report concluded that up to 183 million additional people could suffer from malnutrition by 2050.
Climate protection measures are becoming increasingly expensive
Further, the IPCC points out that climate action is becoming increasingly expensive. "Today, the average annual emissions reductions needed to stay below 1.5°C. are four times higher than they would have been if countries had acted effectively from 2010. This underlines once again how important it is to act now as quickly as possible," Georg Klingler appeals. Further, he adds: "The climate crisis and the war in Ukraine clearly show that ambitious measures are needed now. Switzerland's current energy and climate policy is not worthy of our responsibility and the resources at our disposal."
Replacing fossil fuels with renewable electricity
The infrastructure must be adapted so that fossil fuels can be replaced by renewable electricity. Greenpeace's energy scenario shows that a massive and rapid expansion to solar energy - a solar sprint - is the key to ensuring that Switzerland can meet the CO2 budget it still has available.
