Reasons for climate optimism - "All is not yet lost"
The outlook for the climate crisis is bleak: extreme weather and missed climate protection targets dominate the headlines. A new study shows why the efforts made so far have not been in vain in five points that offer hope.
When it comes to the climate, it's usually one bad news story after another: extreme heatwaves, droughts, heavy rain and storms. At the same time, the Paris Agreement target of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees seems almost impossible to achieve. Against this backdrop, it is easy to become fatalistic: Why bother if it's not going to do any good anyway, some may ask. And should we just give up? No, says the New Climate Institute - and provides five reasons for climate optimism.
"In the face of numerous global crises, growing geopolitical tensions and increasing disinformation campaigns, it is important to reflect not only on what has not happened, but also on what has been achieved over the past decade," says the new study by the New Climate Institute. The focus is "explicitly on the positive changes". The report recognizes that these "are not enough to get us where we need to be". But: "They remind us that all is not lost."
1. awareness and civic engagement: a global awakening
According to the researchers, one of the most striking trends is the increased awareness of climate change. Unlike a few years ago, the climate crisis now has a "central" place in the public eye, they say. People feel more directly affected by the crisis. Increased media coverage, educational initiatives and the direct effects of climate change have brought the issue to the forefront of public and political discourse.
The research team also sees the progress made in attribution science as an important success. Attribution science examines the links between climate and extreme weather conditions - for example, the extent to which climate change is responsible for droughts, floods or heat-related deaths. This also enables court cases for climate protection. Climate protests and social movements have also gained strength, leading to increased pressure on governments and companies to take more environmentally friendly measures. "At least in principle, people seem willing to act on climate protection, even if it puts a financial burden on them," the experts write.
2. political visions and goals: The path to decarbonization
The researchers also see progress in terms of political visions and goals: The goal of a completely decarbonized economy is being met with acceptance worldwide - just a few years ago, this would have been unthinkable. Countries, regions and cities have now set themselves ambitious net-zero emissions targets, marking a paradigm shift in climate policy. However, the implementation of the plans is still lacking, the scientific team admits. The targets now need to be backed up with concrete measures.
However, it is positive that a global phase-out of fossil fuels is being seriously discussed. In the calculations for the temperature target for 2100, the world has progressed by a whole degree since 2015: In the meantime, the world's plans have led to a warming of 2.7 degrees, compared to the predicted 3.6 to 3.9 degrees at the time of the Paris Agreement. The most optimistic estimates even assume that 1.7 degrees would be possible.
3 Investors and companies: Growing pressure to act
According to the study, the issue is also gaining importance in the business world. Driven by social pressure, investors and companies are increasingly recognizing the climate crisis "as a threat to their business models and investment portfolios". The disclosure of climate data by companies is now common practice and in many cases even required by law.
The opportunities for green jobs and a transformation of the industrial structure are also coming to the fore much more clearly than just a few years ago. "Every investor and every business sector feels the pressure to act on climate," the report states. Many companies are therefore preparing climate plans - but there is also a lot of greenwashing.
4. energy supply: The rise of renewable energies
According to the research team, more than two decades ago, renewable energies, particularly solar and wind energy, were associated with high costs. Since then, costs have fallen much faster than predicted - by as much as 60 to 90 percent for solar, onshore and offshore wind power. Today, "renewable energies are the new normal" and are competitive in many parts of the world. The phase-out of fossil fuels - which was not discussed just a few years ago - is now a question of "when, not if".
5 Electrification and industry: progress in key sectors
As a final point, the study mentions electrification in transport and industry, which has made considerable progress in recent years. There is a global boom in electric cars and heat pumps. In addition, all branches of industry are working on strategies for zero emissions - even in areas where CO2 reductions are difficult to achieve, such as steel. Unlike before, these industries with large CO2 backpacks are no longer "hiding" behind the energy sector, which should decarbonize first - but are looking for ways and solutions themselves.
"So we need to move faster"
The results of the New Climate Institute should give hope in the fight against climate change, as the five points of encouragement show: "Change is possible and can happen unexpectedly - triggered by new actors (global youth) and new strategies (climate lawsuits) that push governments and companies to act." In the last decade, many things have "moved in the right direction".
However, the climate crisis is accelerating at the same time and threatens to undo the progress that has been made: "So we need to move faster," the researchers warn. With further efforts, limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees could still be achievable. To achieve this, we must "think the impossible, find new alliances and rally society as a whole behind this task."
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Despite the concerning headlines about extreme weather and missed climate protection targets, a new study from the New Climate Institute offers reasons for optimism. One of these reasons is the increased awareness of climate change, which has gained a central place in public and political discourse due to media coverage, educational initiatives, and the direct effects of climate change.
Additionally, political visions and goals regarding decarbonization have gained widespread acceptance, with countries, regions, and cities setting ambitious net-zero emissions targets. However, the study warns that while progress has been made, the implementation of these plans is still lacking and concrete measures are needed to back up the targets.
Climate optimism, education, reasons, still
The study also highlights the increasing pressure on investors and companies to act on climate change, driven by social pressure and the recognition of the climate crisis as a threat to their business models and investment portfolios. In conclusion, while there is still a long way to go, the New Climate Institute's findings offer reasons for hope and show that change is possible, even in the face of the accelerating climate crisis.
Source: www.ntv.de
