JOSHUA WELLS
Update:
United States President Barack Obama has announced this morning that the United States and Chinese governments will work together to reduce greenhouse gasses by 26 to 28 per cent by 2025.
Climate change has taken a controversial back seat at this years G20 Leaders’ Summit in Brisbane, amid warnings that nations have to act now.
Concern has been growing after the recent release of the 2014 United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Synthesis report which again clearly stated anthropogenic drivers as being the ‘extremely likely’ cause of global warming – and called for action.
Releasing the report IPCC Chair Rajendra Pachauri emphasised the ‘window of opportunity’ currently available
“The scientific case for prioritising action on climate change is clearer than ever. We have little time before the window of opportunity to stay within 2°C of warming closes,” he said.
“To keep a good chance of staying below 2°C and at manageable costs, our emissions should drop by 40 to 70 percent globally between 2010 and 2050, falling to zero or below by 2100.
“We have that opportunity and the choice is in our hands.”
It is an opportunity many believe is being missed at the G20 in Brisbane.
World Wildlife Fund National Manager of Climate Change Kellie Caught said she was worried Australia is resisting pressure the United States to put climate change on the agenda.
“We have called on the G20 to make it a stand alone issue, which it has been at the last 8 summits.”
Ms Caught said 80% of greenhouse gas emissions come from G20 nations, creating a future economic issue.
In a twist of irony, temperatures in Brisbane are expected to soar into the high 30’s on the weekend. Increased temperatures and extreme weather events are forecast by the IPCC as consequences of anthropogenic climate change.