IPCC report warns of ‘irreversible’ impacts of global warming

Written by Adam Cadle

01/03/2022

The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has made a stark warning that even temporarily exceeding the 1.5C limit of the Paris Agreement will result in additional severe impacts, some of which will be "irreversible".

It noted that climate resilient development is already challenging at current warming levels. It will become more limited if global warming exceeds 1.5C. In some regions it will be impossible if global warming exceeds 2C.

The report noted that increased heatwaves, droughts and floods are already exceeding plants’ and animals’ tolerance thresholds, driving mass mortalities in species such as trees and corals. These weather extremes are occurring simultaneously, causing cascading impacts that are increasingly difficult to manage. They have exposed millions of people to acute food and water insecurity, especially in Africa, Asia, Central and South America, on Small Islands and in the Arctic.

Providing a detailed assessment of climate change impacts, risks and adaptation in cities, where more than half the world’s population lives, the report concluded that people’s health, lives and livelihoods, as well as property and critical infrastructure, including energy and transportation systems, are being increasingly adversely affected by hazards from heatwaves, storms, drought and flooding as well as slow-onset changes, including sea level rise.

It places one in four people across the world in a "highly vulnerable" position in relation to climate, and predicts that of temperatures rise to between 1.7 and 1.8C half of the human population could experience life-threatening climatic conditions arising from heat and humidity.

Furthermore, it also warned of placing too much faith in advanced technological solutions, instead believing that more sustainable development is a better immediate answer.

Responding to the report, Insurance Europe head of personal and general insurance Nicolas Jeanmart said climate change adapation measures are "important" and "increasingly urgent" to ensure the climate resilience of citizens and societies at large.

“Adaptation measures require actions from a wide range of stakeholders: in the first instance, governments need to initiate the measures. We therefore call on policymakers at local, national and regional levels to ensure that enough attention is paid to climate change adaptation. This includes measures such as adapting critical infrastructure to increase its resilience to climate change, and adapting and duly implementing building codes and land-use planning.

“The insurance industry also has key roles to play, and insurers across European markets are in fact already cooperating with public authorities at local, national, regional and local level. Insurance cover is a crucial aspect of building resilience in the wake of extreme weather events. Indeed, societies with a higher penetration rate tend to recover from these events more quickly than those with a relatively low rate. Insurers also measure and price climate risk to inform the risk management of businesses and individuals, and can provide advice on how to develop innovative adaptation solutions. These measures can complement the significant climate change adaptation measures that need to be taken by public authorities.”

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