New climate report shows dire situation

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The recently-released Sixth Assessment Report of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) paints a transparent message from the sector’s easiest climate scientists: Drastic adjustments are wanted straight away to safe a livable long run on the planet.

Chief Meteorologist David Yeomans interviewed Dr. Ben Kirtman of the University of Miami Rosenstiel School — a climate science Ph.D and one of the most authors of a prior IPCC report — on KXAN News at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Dr. Kirtman stated this newest climate overview paints a stark distinction to earlier experiences in the case of how briefly and significantly adjustments to greenhouse fuel emissions want to happen with the intention to cap world warming at 1.5°C (roughly 3°F) through the yr 2050. In truth, the scientists within the report discovered that we have now a better than 50% probability of surpassing 1.5°C of warming through 2050.

Local Texas affects

Central Texas is predicted to turn out to be extra arid as rainfall turns into much less dependable and better temperatures evaporate extra of our floor water provide. Texas droughts are anticipated to worsen.

“Places that are dry and tend to have dry climates are going to get drier, and those places that tend to be a little bit wetter are going to get wetter. And that’s going to get more extreme as we go into the future,” Kirtman stated.

Is it too overdue to behave?

When requested concerning the grim outlook this report paints, Kirtman used to be nonetheless constructive for the long run. He stated if international locations prevent opening new coal-fired energy crops, towns spend money on extra bushes and greenspaces and citizens shift extra towards electrical transportation, it would make a vital have an effect on.

“I’m actually quite optimistic that if we do everything, we could reach our goal of stabilizing the climate at 3 degrees (Fahrenheit) warming before the mid-century,” Kirtman stated. “The situation is serious, it is dire. We need to act now. But if we do act now, we can reverse the trends that we’re seeing.”