2023 and record temperatures
In March 2023, the UN urged countries to step up their climate action, stressing that effective options to reduce emissions are now available, from renewable energy sources to electric vehicles. But, despite all the warnings issued by the scientific community and international organizations, climate change climate change persists, worsening and accelerating rapidly. 2023 was the hottest year on record and 2024 looks set to follow suit. At the same time, on about 1/3 of the days in 2023, the average global temperature was at least 1.5 C higher than pre-industrial levels.
Our planet's oceans have also experienced unusually warm temperatures this year and, in turn, are releasing further heat into the atmosphere. "The North Atlantic Ocean is the warmest we've ever recorded, and if you look at the North Pacific Ocean, there's a 'tongue' of unusually warm water that stretches from Japan to California,"Dr. Jennifer Francis from the US-based Woodwell Climate Research Center told the BBC.
Experts also say that two temperature spikes that were recorded in recent months in Antarctica – caused by natural variability – have increased the planet’s average temperature. Yet another of the countless examples recorded globally is the drought plaguing the American West, which has persisted for more than two decades, leading scientists to label it a "great drought," surpassing all recorded regional droughts in scope and severity.
It is difficult to determine the exact impact of long-term warming caused by humans. However, researchers believe that these ongoing high temperature anomalies should serve as a wake-up call for all countries, while the IPCC, the UN's climate body, clearly states that we need to halve emissions during of this decade and then reach for net zero.
How can net zero be achieved?
One of the biggest challenges humanity has to face is the transition to a planet with zero added greenhouse gases. Getting to net zero requires a revolution in the way we produce, consume and move. The energy sector currently accounts for approximately 3/4 of greenhouse gas emissions and holds the "key" to mitigating the worst consequences of climate change. Replacing polluting electricity produced using coal, natural gas and oil with renewable energy sources such as wind or solar would significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
The concept of net zero carbon dioxide emissions emerged from climate science. However, it must be achieved through humanity’s social, political and economic systems. Oxford Net Zero, an interdisciplinary research initiative, based on the University of Oxford's fifteen years of research on climate neutrality, identifies 7 net-zero elements that are crucial for a successful framework for climate action:
- Emission reductions with advance reduction
- An integrated approach to reducing emissions
- Careful use of carbon dioxide removal and storage
- Effective regulation of offset carbon rights
- Fair transition to net zero
- Alignment with broader socio-environmentall goals
- Pursuit of new financial opportunities
Promises and hopes for the future
Artificial intelligence has the potential to shape new policies by offering innovative geoengineering solutions to combat climate change. Algorithm-based research plays a crucial role in In terms of agricultural and industrial production methods, it is obvious that minimal change have taken place. Some steps may have been taken towards sustainable development and the adoption of alternative energy sources, but our dependence on fossil-fuel consumption is a given. And while all the scientific evidence links the burning of fossil fuels to global warming, their use continues to grow.
At the same time, we cannot fail to acknowledge all that has been achieved in recent years. The proportion of electricity supplied by renewable sources worldwide, for example, has risen significantly while the cost of renewables has fallen dramatically. Many nations have also taken significant steps to reduce carbon emissions.
The Paris Agreement may have set a global goal, but the action to achieve this goal is structured at the national level. Each state is responsible for developing its own policies in order to achieve the common goal. All governments, cities and businesses, regardless of their differing approaches, must adopt measures to achieve net zero emissions.
Net zero, for now, does not seem like an achievable goal. However, hope can enhance creativity - necessary even at the scientific level - and bring about solutions. Hope as a driving force can help us explore new paths and come up with solutions. If combined with action and prevention, then every goal, including net zero, comes closer to our reach.
Sources: