2018 was the year of alarming reports and studies that all surpassed one another with new gloomy conclusions about climate change. It shouldn’t leave anyone unaffected. But we believe and hope that 2019 will be a year of great climate action – and thus replace the stream of gloomy warnings with good climate news.
January, 2018. “Global Risks Report 2018”
Of the top five risks of 2018, three were climate related. Topping the list was “Extreme weather events” followed by “Natural disasters” and – coming in fifth – “Failure of climate change mitigation and adaptation”.
June, 2018. ”Off-target” (Climate Action Network)
This report found that except from Sweden, none of the 28 EU-member states are on track to meet the Paris Agreement targets.
July, 2018. Trajectories of the Earth System in the Anthropocene (Nature)
This study argues that global warming will run out of control if we exceed 2°C degrees global warming. There is a risk that it will trigger an irreversible domino effect impossible to stop with fatal consequences for our life conditions.
October, 2018. 1.5 Degrees Report (IPCC)
This report found that we are left with less time than expected to reduce levels of greenhouse gases. It also found that there is a bigger difference between 1.5°C and 2.0°C than previously believed. It concludes that massive changes in lifestyle, energy and transport systems are urgently needed.
October, 2018. Options for Keeping the Food System Within Environmental Limits (Nature)
The study calls for dramatic changes in global food systems to avoid an uncontrollable increase in temperatures. By 2050 there is a need to reduce the projected food loss and waste by at least 50%, preferably 75% and the projected intake of meat must be reduced by up to 90% in large parts of the world.
November, 2018. Emissions Gap Report 2018 (UNEP)
The gap between emissions and reduction efforts is growing, this report finds. We need to halve our emissions by 2030 to avoid disastrous scenarios, according to the leading scientists behind this alarming report.
November, 2018. State of the Climate Report 2018 (WMO)
The last four years were the four hottest years since 1874, when we started record global temperatures. This is the stocktaking of this report by the World Meteorological Organization. And it will probably continue as the last 20 warmest years have all been within the past 22 years.
November, 2018. Warming Assessment of the Bottom-up Paris Agreement Emissions Pledges (Nature)
This study shows among others, that the planned climate actions of India, the EU, the USA and China lead to 2.6 °C, 3.2 °C, 4 °C and over 5.1 °C warmings, respectively, by the end of this century.
December, 2018. Global Carbon Project 2018
This study revealed that renewable energy capacity has hit record levels and global coal use may have already peaked, but at the same time the world’s carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels increased in 2018, and the trend places global warming targets in jeopardy.