Thread by @SarahLynnBurch

Speaking as an @IPCC_CH Lead Author, these are some of the most important new messages from the #climate report out today: (🧵)

1. For the first time we’re seeing evidence of real, sustained decreases in greenhouse gas emissions from some countries.

But take a breath because…

2. Average annual greenhouse gas emissions over the last 10 years were THE HIGHEST IN HUMAN HISTORY. We are not on track to limit warming to less than 1.5 degrees.

3. Put another way, without rapid, deep emissions cuts across ALL sectors and regions, 1.5 degrees is out of reach.

Do we know what we need to do to make those cuts? Absolutely yes.

4. Options now exist across ALL sectors and regions that can cut our emissions by at least half by 2030 (which is what is needed to avoid the worst impacts of #climate climate change).

5. Here’s a kicker: we can’t reach our broader sustainable development goals (vibrant nature, clean water, no poverty, healthy communities etc) if we don’t address #climate change. It just won’t work.

6. Justice is central to accelerated transitions. It leads to deeper ambition, stronger partnerships. A low carbon economy can create more jobs that LAST.

7. There are very promising signals on renewables. Costs of solar, wind and lithium ion batteries have come down up to 85% over the last 10 years.

This is key because reducing emissions requires electrification of transport (fast), industrial processes, buildings etc.

8. Coal has to go. Coal without carbon capture and storage has to go down by 76% by 2030. That’s… really fast.

We would also need to PREMATURELY - ie before the end of their designed lifespan - shut down oil gas infrastructure by 2050 (read… stop building new stuff!).

9. Flow of finance is currently dramatically insufficient. It needs to go up by 300-600% to spur the scale of action needed. But there’s enough global capital and liquidity to close this gap.

10. Individual choice ALONE makes only modest contributions to GHG reductions.

Building codes, urban planning, vehicle efficiency standards, carbon pricing, low carbon infrastructure MAKE IT EASIER for individuals to make better choices.

11. I have more to say but I’ll pause for a moment and just say the next few years are absolutely critical.

We’re not on track to 1.5 degrees but we also already have the tools we need create healthy, just, resilient, low carbon communities. 🌱