Scientists are observing unprecedented and irreversible climate change in every region and across the whole climate system, according to a searing new report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that has officials calling for decisive action to stave off global warming.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the report a “code red for humanity. The alarm bells are deafening, and the evidence is irrefutable,” he said.
IPCC is a UN body established in 1988 to provide political leaders with scientific assessments concerning climate change and put forward adaptation and mitigation strategies. The report, titled “Climate Change 2021: the Physical Science Basis” is the first installment of the group’s sixth assessment.
The report warns that, averaged over the next 20 years, global temperature is expected to reach or exceed 1.5°C of warming since 1850-1900. At the 1.5°C level of warming, we can expect increasing heat waves, longer warm seasons and shorter cold seasons. At 2°C, heat extremes would be more, well, extreme, frequently reaching critical tolerance thresholds for agriculture and health, the report said.
Human-induced climate change is not all about temperature. It’s also intensifying the water cycle, affecting rainfall patterns, rising sea levels, intensifying permafrost thawing, and reducing oxygen levels and increasing acidification in the ocean.
“This report is a reality check,” said IPCC Working Group I Co-Chair Valérie Masson-Delmotte. “We now have a much clearer picture of the past, present and future climate, which is essential for understanding where we are headed, what can be done, and how we can prepare.”
Despite its stark warning, the report also says that strong and sustained reductions in CO2 emissions and other greenhouse gases would limit climate change, resulting in swift benefits for air quality and stabilizing temperatures within a few decades.
“We must act decisively now, to keep 1.5 alive,” said Secretary-General Guterres, referring to the internationally-agreed threshold of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels of global heating. To prevent exceeding the 1.5°C threshold, we must step up efforts and pursue the most ambitious path, Guterres said in a press release.
Taking action against climate change
The “we” Guterres refers to includes governments and businesses alike. The UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement have made sustainability a priority, giving companies and countries goals and a roadmap to lower global warming and achieve a more sustainable world.
Dassault Systemes has committed to reducing net-zero emissions by 2040. Our approach includes reducing company-wide and value chain emissions and leveraging the 3DEXPERIENCE platform to support industrial firms and startups to develop carbon removal projects.
The 3DEXPERIENCE platform and virtual twin experiences provide companies with new approaches to develop and deliver sustainable innovations. They can simulate scenarios to test and improve their ideas without risk – and without waste.
“By providing the industry solutions and best practices that support business in its transition toward sustainability, we can further harmonize product, nature and life, and make a meaningful contribution to deliver on the Paris Agreement goals within the next decade,” Bernard Charlès, vice chairman and CEO of Dassault Systemès said in a press release announcing the SBT commitment.
Watch the video to understand how virtual twin experiences can help companies reduce emissions, combat climate change and make sustainable choices at every step.
