{"id":25431,"date":"2019-09-25T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-09-25T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/?p=25431"},"modified":"2019-11-06T03:27:07","modified_gmt":"2019-11-06T08:27:07","slug":"new-ipcc-report-shows-critical-need-for-accelerated-climate-action-and-oceans-protection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/press-release\/25431\/new-ipcc-report-shows-critical-need-for-accelerated-climate-action-and-oceans-protection\/","title":{"rendered":"New IPCC report shows critical need for accelerated climate action and oceans protection"},"content":{"rendered":"

Canada – <\/b>The launch of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) special report on the Ocean and Cryosphere today, highlights the need for governments to urgently scale up and accelerate efforts to address the climate emergency and protect the world\u2019s oceans.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Drawn from almost 7,000 papers by over 100 leading climate scientists, the IPCC report represents the most comprehensive assessment to date of the severity of climate impacts on our oceans and the cryosphere (frozen areas of the Earth).<\/span><\/p>\n

Taehyun Park, global climate political advisor with Greenpeace East Asia, said:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>“The science is both chilling and compelling. The impacts of human-made carbon emissions on our oceans are on a much larger scale and happening way faster than predicted. It will require unprecedented political action to prevent the most severe consequences to our planet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Climate action and building the resilience of our oceans need to go hand in hand and governments and industry know the solutions. They must take decisive steps to ditch fossil fuels and submit their national plans to stay below 1.5\u00b0C by next year, when they will also need to deliver a strong Global Ocean Treaty capable of\u00a0 protecting at least 30% of the world\u2019s oceans as marine sanctuaries.”<\/span><\/p>\n

The IPCC report points to some potentially irreversible changes and growing threats to the Earth\u2019s oceans and shrinking cryosphere. It comes as Arctic sea ice levels reached their second lowest level on satellite record – some 2.1 million Km<\/span>2<\/span> below the average long term minimum area.<\/span><\/p>\n

The IPCC also presents policy solutions to help governments mitigate the worst impacts of global warming and build climate resilience. It points to the challenges of oceans and cryosphere governance systems, which remain fragmented across administrative boundaries and sectors and fail to provide effective ocean protection.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Head of Oceans and Plastics campaign, Sarah King with Greenpeace Canada, said:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“There has been so much climate talk by Canadian and other world leaders, but unless those words become immediate action on setting ambitious commitments to address the climate emergency and secure a strong Global Ocean Treaty, they are failing the millions of climate strikers, future generations, and biodiversity on our blue planet. With the Canadian election around the corner, we desperately need a leader that will listen to the science and then act with the gumption of those millions of people pleading for bold change.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The IPCC report is the latest in a series of stark scientific and real world wake-up calls for political leaders who are asleep at the wheel. This is not a drill, this is that moment in the history books we\u2019ve read about where humanity is at a crossroads. The science is clear and we need that level of clarity from decision-makers, including Canada\u2019s leader coming out of the upcoming election.”<\/span><\/p>\n

In other findings, the IPCC report noted the following.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n