Keeping global warming down to a level people can live with means cutting carbon emissions to "near zero" by the end of the century, even in an increasingly industrialized world, the top U.N. experts on the issue reported Sunday.
That may be doable, but it will take "substantial investments" in everything from planting more trees to replacing fossil fuels with low-carbon power sources like solar, wind and nuclear energy, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change announced in its latest report.
"What this report clearly shows is that the challenges to resolve the global common problem are huge," said Ottmar Edenhofer, a German economist and one of the lead authors of Sunday's document. "But also this report shows that there are some steps to resolve this issue. I would say in that sense the report also outlines the challenges, but it provides hope -- modest hope."
Jennifer Morgan, the director of the Climate and Energy Program at the World Resources Institute, agreed.
In the United States, the second-biggest producer of greenhouse gases, a boom in natural gas along with conservation efforts, more renewable energy and a steep recession combined to reduce carbon emissions by about 10% in the last decade. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who in February called the issue "the greatest challenge of our generation," said Sunday's report is an economic opportunity.
Despite more than two decades of efforts to restrain carbon emissions, not only are emissions still going up, they're going up faster than ever, Edenhofer said. Though there's been an increased emphasis on generating power from renewable sources, the use of coal has gone up in the past 10 years, he said.
The reports are aimed at guiding world leaders as the United Nations attempts to work out a new treaty to limit emissions in 2015. Previous rounds of talks have been strained by disputes among the biggest emitters -- China, the United States and European countries -- and poorer countries whose populations could see the worst impacts first.
One of the most controversial is carbon capture and sequestration technology, which would reduce smokestack emissions and put the carbon dioxide in storage. But the technology is expensive.
Morgan said individuals can also do that by seeking greener power sources and ways to save energy, and by keeping a close eye on where they invest their 401(k) plans and other savings vehicles.
She also said it would be a a challenge for her organization to make sure that people see there is still hope.
"There is a chance that their children won't have to deal with this problem," she said.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/13/world/un-climate/index.html
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