UN IPCC report: Action needed to avert 'undermining climate credibility'

The publication is a call to arms ahead of the COP26 conference, being held in Glasgow in November, with drastic policies now needed to salvage ambitions over the next decade.

The report also raised alarm that global warming could even exceed 2C in this century without urgent action.

Scientific experts have warned that human activity has altered the Earth’s climate in “unprecedented” ways – stressing that some of the changes are now “irreversible”.

The UK Government, which is hosting COP26, wants a commitment from world leaders for global warming to be limited to 1.5C. But pressure will be piled on politicians at the conference to thrash out a way forward to avert climate catastrophe.

Last month, COP26 president-designate, Alok Sharma, warned that initial talks with world leaders to draw up a strategy revealed that “fault lines remain on some critical issues”.

Speaking yesterday, Mr Sharma said countries that are attending COP26 “must send a clear market signal to get the transition moving faster”.

READ MORE: IPCC report: Climate changes inevitable and irreversible as stark reality of climate crisis set out

The head of the United Nations' environment programme, Inger Andersen, criticised global leaders for “not acting strongly enough” and said a generation of politicians, business leaders and “conscious citizens” was needed to make “systematic changes”.

UN secretary general, Antonio Guterres, said the report "must sound a death knell for coal and fossil fuels, before they destroy our planet", adding "there is no time for delay and no room for excuses”.

The First Minister described the report as a “grim wake-up call” but has been warned that a failure to act will “risk seriously undermining the UK and Scotland’s climate credibility just when it is needed most".

The IPCC said the higher the temperature, the more likely severe weather events are to occur, including increased rainfall and drought.

READ MORE: IPCC report: Pressure piled on UK Government ahead of COP26

Despite the dire warnings, the document stresses that disaster can still be averted if carbon emissions are significantly reduced on a global scale.

It states: “From a physical science perspective, limiting human-induced global warming to a specific level requires limiting cumulative CO2 emissions, reaching at least net zero CO2 emissions, along with strong reductions in other greenhouse gas emissions.”

The Scottish Government has pledged to transform Scotland into a net zero carbon nation by 2045, five years ahead of the UK Government’s promise.

But the SNP has faced criticism after missing its emissions reduction targets for the last three years in a row. The Scottish Government's plan to cut 1990 levels of carbon emissions by 75% by 2030 has been branded “on the fringes of credibility” by statutory advisers, the Climate Change Committee.

Jamie Livingstone, head of Oxfam Scotland, said the IPCC report was an “undeniable wakeup call to governments and global leaders around the world who are asleep at the wheel on climate change”.

He added: “The science is overwhelming – our planet is on fire and without concerted action now we’re headed towards climate catastrophe, with the poorest communities suffering the most.

READ MORE: IPCC report: Key questions, future aims and everything you need to know about Cop 26

All of our lives and futures will be on the line as world leaders gather in Glasgow this November to agree a plan to mitigate the worst impacts.

“A failure to act would completely ignore the IPCC’s stark warnings and risk seriously undermining the UK and Scotland’s climate credibility just when it is needed most."

Friends of the Earth Scotland’s climate and energy campaigner, Caroline Rance, pointed to support from UK and Scottish ministers for the controversial Cambo oil field proposals.

She said: “The conclusions of the world's best scientists makes it clear that if we are to avert further climate breakdown we must urgently phase out fossil fuels.

"That means rejecting new oil and gas developments like the Cambo field and for governments to sit down with workers and communities to plan a fair transition away from oil and gas.

“The Scottish Government should be acting on the advice of these climate scientists not listening to oil companies and big polluters who are putting their profits above the survival of millions of people.”

Fabrice Leveque, head of policy at WWF Scotland said: “This is a stark assessment of the frightening future that awaits us if we fail to act on climate change.

“It’s clear that keeping global warming to 1.5°C is hugely challenging and can only be done if urgent action is taken globally to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect and restore nature.

“Scotland is not immune from the disastrous consequences of climate change. As predicted, we are already seeing wetter and warmer weather which could weaken our economy - jeopardising food production, as well as risking communities with flooding.

“With less than 100 days to go until world leaders arrive in Glasgow for the most important climate conference since the Paris Agreement in 2015, this is the moment the Scottish Government must demonstrate real global leadership, bringing forward more innovative policies to cut carbon and close the gap between its ambitions and its actions.”

The First Minister said yesterday she would be writing to the Prime Minister to encourage more cooperation between the governments of the UK on climate change in light of the report, which she described as “a grim wake-up call”.

The Scottish Government’s Net Zero Secretary, Michael Matheson, admitted the report shows that “immediate, concerted international action to reduce emissions” is required.

He added: “COP26 in Glasgow represents the world’s best chance – perhaps one of our last chances – to avert the worst impacts of climate change.

“We must deliver on the principles of the Paris Agreement with lasting action to secure a net zero and climate-resilient future in a way that is fair and just for everyone.

READ MORE: David Bol: Politicians need to be upfront about climate action

“The eyes of the world will be on COP26 and on Scotland this year.

“We’ll demonstrate the climate action we are taking, the ways in which we put people and wellbeing at the heart of all we do, and how our Scottish values underpin our place in the world.”

Scottish Labour’s net zero spokeswoman, Monica Lennon, said the First Minister must oppose the Cambo oil field proposal near Shetland, which would release an estimated 135 million tonnes of carbon during its lifetime.

“To avoid the worst-case climate scenarios, it’s vital that our governments act on the findings of the IPCC report,” Ms Lennon said.

“For starters, Nicola Sturgeon must loudly oppose the proposed Cambo oil field and stop hiding behind Boris Johnson, who treats climate emergency and the need for a just transition for workers and world communities like a big joke.

“If we start meeting our own climate targets in Scotland, we’ll be in a better position to demand quicker progress from other governments.

“The climate emergency is the biggest challenge of our time, and that’s why Scottish Labour will continue to fight for the bold and urgent action that the public rightly expects both the UK and Scottish governments to take.”

Scottish Conservative net zero spokesperson, Liam Kerr, added: "We have heard warm words from the SNP Government on hitting net zero, but that must be backed up by urgent action.

"They have failed to meet their own critical emission reduction targets for the last three years running, which is simply unacceptable.

“Time is rapidly running out and the trend of missing targets must immediately be reversed by SNP ministers.

“In the year that the UK Government is bringing the global COP26 climate gathering to Glasgow, it is crucial the SNP Government outline ambitious plans to ensure every measure is in place to fully tackle climate change in Scotland.”