Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Synthesis Report Encourages Quick Action

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released the final portion of its AR6 Synthesis Report this week. The massive, multi-year assessment project led the report’s authors to conclude that human activities, principally through emissions of greenhouse gases, have unequivocally caused global warming and that widespread and rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and biosphere have occurred. The report also notes that “some future changes are unavoidable and/or irreversible but can be limited by deep, rapid and sustained global greenhouse gas emissions reduction.” It also notes the benefits of near-term action: “Deep, rapid and sustained mitigation and accelerated implementation of adaptation actions in this decade would reduce projected losses and damages for humans and ecosystems (very high confidence), and deliver many co-benefits, especially for air quality and health (high confidence).”