World has six months to avert climate crisis, says energy expert
The world has only six
months in which to change the course of the climate crisis and prevent a
post-lockdown rebound in greenhouse gas emissions that would overwhelm efforts
to stave off climate catastrophe, one of the world’s foremost energy experts
has warned. “This year is the last
time we have, if we are not to see a carbon
rebound,” said Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy
Agency.
Governments are
planning to spend $9tn (£7.2tn) globally in the next few months on rescuing
their economies from the coronavirus crisis, the IEA has calculated. The
stimulus packages created this year will determine the shape of the global
economy for the next three years, according to Birol, and within that time
emissions must start to fall sharply and permanently, or climate
targets will be out of reach.
“The next three years
will determine the course of the next 30 years and beyond,” Birol told the
Guardian. “If we do not [take action] we will surely see a rebound in
emissions. If emissions rebound, it is very difficult to see how they will be
brought down in future. This is why we are urging governments to have
sustainable recovery packages.” Carbon dioxide emissions plunged
by a global average of 17% in April, compared with last year, but have
since surged
again to within about 5% of last year’s levels....
