Key national and international reactions to the report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change – Zemlya

China is not only the country with the largest population in the world, but also has the largest carbon dioxide emissions. It is responsible for one third of all greenhouse gases emitted worldwide.

The Chinese government immediately announced that it had no plans to change climate policy in response to the IPCC report. The report was not reported in the country. The People’s Republic continues to strive to be carbon neutral by 2060 and expects the country to reach its peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030. After that, it should gradually decrease. China has long been criticized for opening dozens of coal-fired power plants. The country is struggling with the increasing demand for affordable energy. China already has more than a thousand coal-fired power plants, which is about half of the world’s coal-fired power plants.

The United States, which ranks second in the world in carbon dioxide emissions, says the report shows that ambitious climate policy can no longer be put off. President Joe Biden believes the world cannot afford to wait. “The signs are undeniable. The science is undeniable. The costs of inaction are growing,” the president wrote on Twitter.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that in the run-up to the COP26 climate summit, the report once again shows that action must be taken in response to the science. He described it as imperative that all countries, especially the major economies, commit to limiting global warming in this “critical” decade.

Australia is used to extreme drought and heat and experiences wildfires almost every year. The fires are getting worse and this, according to scientists, is due to the warmer climate. In the Australian summer from August 2019 to March 2020, 12 million hectares of land were burned. This is partly due to changes in species and vegetation status.

Conservative Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that despite these challenges, Australia says it is already doing enough to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and is not setting any additional plans or targets to do so. He asserts that the country is doing its best to become climate neutral, but he does not want to set a deadline for that.

Morrison is willing to contribute more to reducing emissions, but not if the measures will place an enormous burden on certain groups or regions. According to local media, this would also cause political problems. Morrison remains opposed to additional emissions taxes and doesn’t want to set a time when the country will be carbon neutral, not until 2050. “I can’t sign a blank check on behalf of Australia for targets that don’t have it,” Morrison said. He argues that these kinds of uncertain targets will cost The country is in the end more than expected.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson believes the report should be a wake-up call to the world. He asserts that the next decade is crucial to the future of the planet. The prime minister says it is clear what actions need to be taken to combat climate change.

Johnson also called for financial aid to countries affected by global warming. The UK’s major climate summit will take place this fall.

According to European Commissioner Frans Timmermans, the latest UN climate report shows the “great urgency” in the fight against climate change. The whole world must participate in this struggle. Moreover, actions must be accelerated, according to Timmermans, who is in charge of climate policy.

At the upcoming Climate Summit next fall, the world must declare that enough is enough, Timmermans tweeted after the publication of the report of the United Nations’ IPCC Climate Panel. In order to be in time to limit global warming to an agreed 1.5 degree, “we must act resolutely and united.”

The European Union has set itself a target of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent by 2030 compared to 1990. By 2050 at the latest, Europe should become the world’s first climate-neutral continent and achieve the European Green Deal. Brussels last month presented plans to achieve this goal. For example, in fourteen years, only electric-connected cars may be sold. “But this is a global crisis: To keep 1.5 degrees within reach, it is imperative that we stop emitting carbon dioxide around the world and implement policy to get there faster,” Timmermans said.

Muhammad Nasheed, the former president of the Maldives archipelago, reported that weak nations are victims of rich nations. “We pay with our souls for the carbon dioxide emitted by others,” Nasheed said. The former president serves as an ambassador for the Forum on Climate Vulnerability, which consists of 48 countries.

“Our people are dying in weak developing countries due to burning fossil fuels for consumption and economic growth in rich countries,” he said. Nasheed described it as unfair for developing countries in particular to be threatened by climate change. The ambassador said he feared the consequences if it failed to curb global warming. “Then, small island states and weak states on the coast will be submerged by a sea level rise of 3 metres.

Dutch banks believe the government should set out a clear policy on the energy transition so that “banks, businesses and consumers know better when to take steps”. This is what the Dutch Banking Association (NVB) says in response to the Climate Report. Banks also want “robust data” on carbon dioxide emissions so they can respond more effectively to where they need to be addressed.

NVB President Medy van der Laan hopes the new report will provide incentive to take additional steps. “Banks would like to see with governments, businesses and consumers how the various schemes can be tightened further, while making sure that they are also transferable to everyone.”

Shell is in the top five when it comes to companies with the highest carbon dioxide emissions in the Netherlands. Globally, Shell is among the top 10 companies with the highest carbon dioxide emissions. The oil and gas company says it is still studying the IPCC report and cannot respond until then. According to a spokesperson, it is not clear if and when Shell will respond. Shell recently announced that it would appeal a court decision in The Hague in the case brought by Miliodefense and others against Shell. Two months ago, a judge ruled that Shell must cut global net carbon dioxide emissions by 45 percent by 2030 compared to the 2019 level.

The Federation of Water Boards sees in everyday practice that the weather is becoming more and more extreme. Water boards see this confirmed in the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Climate Report, which is why they are also calling for accelerated climate action.

“The flood in Limburg has shown that climate change is not a future scenario for water boards, but an everyday practice,” said Hetty Clavers, board member of the Federation of Water Boards. “After three very dry summers, we now had a summer with severe flooding due to rainfall and rising rivers.”

Water boards are already investing 1.8 billion euros a year in building stronger dams and rainwater dams, but say more measures are needed to give enough space in the future, for example for high waves, heavy rain and water from large rivers. According to water boards, the government should invest more money in future-proof options when designing landscapes to reduce damage from extreme weather such as droughts and floods.

According to entrepreneurship organizations VNO-NCW and MKB-Nederland, the study “once again underscores the urgent need to act now” to combat global warming. According to the employers, with the Dutch climate agreement, the European Green Deal, the far-reaching climate plans of Brussels and the global climate agreement in Paris, many goals and plans are ready for implementation. It is now a matter of business, according to the company lobby.

“In our new course, we are fully committed to a sustainable and climate-neutral Netherlands. To achieve this, real work must now be done on the implementation of the climate agreement and the European Commission’s new climate plans,” according to the organizations. The latter will not only be important to companies. “Everyone has to give, companies and citizens, including politicians and government.”