The state of the climate crisis
-
0:00 - 0:05In November 2015, 197 countries
came together in Paris -
0:05 - 0:06and agreed to pursue efforts
-
0:06 - 0:11to limit the temperature increase
on our planet to 1.5 degrees Celsius. -
0:11 - 0:14The Climate Action Tracker
monitors the climate commitments -
0:14 - 0:16and actions of 36 countries,
-
0:16 - 0:20totalling roughly 80 percent of today's
global greenhouse gas emissions. -
0:20 - 0:23Here's the bad news:
those emissions are still rising -
0:23 - 0:27and have already warmed the globe
by 1.1 degrees Celsius. -
0:27 - 0:30The tracker makes two problems clear.
-
0:30 - 0:32First, countries have not
set emissions targets -
0:32 - 0:36ambitious enough to reach
the goals of the Paris Agreement. -
0:36 - 0:40Even if every country hit their targets,
the temperature would still increase -
0:40 - 0:43by more than two degrees Celsius
over the next 70 years, -
0:43 - 0:48and continue to rise
into the 22nd century and beyond. -
0:48 - 0:50Second, governments
are simply not delivering -
0:50 - 0:52even on their unambitious targets.
-
0:52 - 0:55Everything these 36 countries
have done so far, -
0:55 - 0:57and everything
they are currently planning, -
0:58 - 1:00will only slow the growth in emissions.
-
1:00 - 1:02We need to do more than that.
-
1:02 - 1:05To have a hope of limiting
global warming to 1.5 degrees, -
1:05 - 1:11we need to cut global emissions in half
by 2030 and get to net zero by 2050. -
1:12 - 1:13Let's go through the numbers.
-
1:13 - 1:15Of the 36 countries analyzed,
-
1:15 - 1:21only two are taking enough action
to restrain global warming to 1.5 degrees. -
1:21 - 1:23The Gambia has pledged
to reduce its emissions, -
1:23 - 1:25despite being one of
the developing countries -
1:25 - 1:28that has contributed least to the problem.
-
1:28 - 1:31And Morocco is building
more and more solar power. -
1:31 - 1:34Every other country is failing.
-
1:34 - 1:372020 is the year national governments
were supposed to come together -
1:37 - 1:39and strengthen their targets.
-
1:39 - 1:42So far, only a few have done so
while others have announced -
1:42 - 1:46they're sticking with their existing
insufficient targets. -
1:46 - 1:49Now, some countries aren't
too far behind The Gambia and Morocco, -
1:49 - 1:51such as India and Kenya.
-
1:51 - 1:53But the countries
with the most advanced economies, -
1:54 - 1:57those with the greatest capacity
to innovate and help others, -
1:57 - 2:00are shirking their
responsibilities to lead. -
2:00 - 2:03The United States is currently
withdrawing from the Paris Agreement. -
2:03 - 2:04China shows promise;
-
2:04 - 2:08its pledge to balance out
its carbon emissions by 2060 -
2:08 - 2:12could save the world as much as
0.3 degrees Celsius of global warming. -
2:12 - 2:15But actions on the ground remain divided.
-
2:15 - 2:18China is the largest market
for wind and solar power, -
2:18 - 2:22but also for new coal-fired power plants.
-
2:22 - 2:25And the EU is taking steps
in the right direction -
2:25 - 2:28with its green deal to make
member countries more sustainable. -
2:28 - 2:31But this deal is still
not enough for 1.5 degrees. -
2:32 - 2:34So are there any signs of hope?
-
2:34 - 2:38One key measure is a country's willingness
to clean up electricity. -
2:38 - 2:42Clean power can enable other sectors
to reduce or eliminate emissions. -
2:42 - 2:47More than 50 countries, 30 regions,
160 cities and 200 businesses -
2:47 - 2:51have committed to
100 percent clean electricity. -
2:51 - 2:54Denmark, Scotland
and the state of South Australia -
2:54 - 2:55are almost there already,
-
2:55 - 2:58but much of the world still needs
to commit to, and accelerate, -
2:58 - 3:00this energy transition.
-
3:01 - 3:03There's more good news
in the transportation sector. -
3:03 - 3:07More than 20 countries, five regions,
50 cities and 60 businesses -
3:07 - 3:11have already committed
to 100 percent emission-free cars, -
3:11 - 3:13motorcycles and buses.
-
3:13 - 3:18Norway is mandating the end of all sales
of fossil fuel cars by 2025. -
3:18 - 3:20Meanwhile, the US is allowing companies
-
3:20 - 3:23to make cars that don't travel
as far on a gallon of gas, -
3:23 - 3:26rolling back fuel efficiency standards.
-
3:26 - 3:28Other sectors, such as steel
and cement-making -
3:28 - 3:30or aviation and shipping,
-
3:30 - 3:33are even further behind
and trickier to clean up. -
3:33 - 3:37But some steel and cement companies
are developing carbon-free production, -
3:37 - 3:41and Norway and Scotland are targeting
carbon-free short-haul flights. -
3:41 - 3:46In November 2015, 197 countries
came together in Paris -
3:46 - 3:49and set targets to fight climate change.
-
3:49 - 3:52These targets were already insufficient
to reach the stated goal -
3:52 - 3:55of limiting global warming
to 1.5 degrees Celsius, -
3:56 - 4:00and most are not on track to achieve
even their own inadequate targets. -
4:00 - 4:04We need more ambitious targets
and much more ambitious actions. -
4:04 - 4:08In the next decade, we need to transform
key sectors of the global economy -
4:08 - 4:11in order to reduce emissions.
-
4:11 - 4:13These changes will be difficult
but not impossible, -
4:13 - 4:16because they will also bring
enormous opportunities -
4:16 - 4:18like creating millions of jobs.
-
4:18 - 4:21And don't lose track of this key point:
-
4:21 - 4:24such a transformation
will also mean cleaner air -
4:24 - 4:26and a safer, more stable climate for all.
- Title:
- The state of the climate crisis
- Speaker:
- Climate Action Tracker
- Description:
-
With the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, 197 countries agreed to set emission targets that would limit global temperature rise 1.5 degrees Celsius by capping greenhouse emissions at "net-zero" -- or absorbing as much carbon as they emit -- by 2050. So far, only two countries (Gambia and Morocco) are hitting their targets, while the biggest emitters are falling flat, or ignoring their goals entirely. How can we hold these countries accountable? Enter the Climate Action Tracker.
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TEDTalks
- Duration:
- 04:43
Erin Gregory approved English subtitles for The state of the climate crisis | ||
Erin Gregory edited English subtitles for The state of the climate crisis | ||
Joanna Pietrulewicz accepted English subtitles for The state of the climate crisis | ||
Joanna Pietrulewicz edited English subtitles for The state of the climate crisis | ||
Joanna Pietrulewicz edited English subtitles for The state of the climate crisis | ||
Joseph Geni edited English subtitles for The state of the climate crisis | ||
Joseph Geni edited English subtitles for The state of the climate crisis | ||
Joseph Geni edited English subtitles for The state of the climate crisis |