A Nov. 5, 2012, press release from consulting giantPricewaterhouseCoopersLLPwarns current CO2 reductions put us on target for 6 degree average global
temperature increase.
The annual rate of reduction of carbon emissions per unit of
GDP needed to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius has passed a critical
threshold, according to new analysis from PricewaterhouseCoopers. The rate of
reduction now required has never been achieved before.
The analysis in the PwC Low Carbon Economy Index, measuring developed and
emerging economies progress towards reducing emissions linked to economic
output. It demonstrates that at current rates of emissions growth at least 6
degrees of warming could be possible by the end of the century.
The report shows that while the increase in emissions intensity in 2010 has
been reversed, with only a 0.7 percent reduction globally in 2011, it’s a
fraction of what is required against the international commitment to limit global
warming to 2 degrees. To limit global warming to 2 degrees would now mean reducing
global carbon intensity by an average of 5.1 percent a year – a performance
never achieved since 1950, when these records began.
The report warns that “governments and businesses
can no longer assume that a 2 degrees warming world is the default scenario.”
It adds that any investments in long-term assets or infrastructure,
particularly in coastal or low-lying regions, need to address far more
pessimistic scenarios.
With less than four weeks to the UN Climate Summit in Doha, the analysis illustrates the scale of
the challenge facing negotiations. The issue is further complicated by a slow
market recovery in developed nations, but sustained growth in E7 economies
which could lock economic growth into high carbon assets.
Emerging markets’ previous trends on carbon emissions reductions linked to
growth and productivity have stalled, and their total emissions grew by 7.4
percent. By contrast, the UK,
France and Germany
achieved record levels of annual carbon emissions intensity reductions, but
were helped by milder winters.
Jonathan Grant, director, sustainability and climate change at PwC said, “The
risk to business is that it faces more unpredictable and extreme weather, and
disruptions to market and supply chains. Resilience will become a watch word in
the boardroom – to policy responses as well as to the climate. More radical and
disruptive policy reactions in the medium term could lead to high carbon assets
being stranded.
“The new reality is a much more challenging future in terms of planning, financing
and predictability. Even doubling our current
annual rates of decarbonization globally every year to 2050, would still lead
to 6 degrees [emphasis added], making governments’ ambitions to limit
warming to 2 degrees appear highly unrealistic.”
The pace of reducing global carbon intensity has been slow despite growing
international focus on climate change. The financial crisis has dampened
progress further, with carbon intensity falling less than 1 percent in the four
years since it began.
Leo Johnson, partner at PwC said, “While we’ve reversed the increase in
emissions intensity reported last year, we’re still seeing results that are
simply too little too late. We’ve now got to achieve, for the next 39 years
running, a target we’ve never achieved before.”
“This isn’t about shock tactics; it’s simple math. We’re heading into
uncharted territory for the scale of transformation and technical innovations
required. Whatever the scenario, or the response, business as usual is not an
option.”
Jonathan Grant, director, sustainability and climate change, PwC said, “The
challenge now is to implement gigaton-scale reductions across the economy, in
power generation, energy efficiency, transport and industry, as well as REDD+
in forested nations.”
Examining the role of shale gas, PwC’s report suggests that at current rates of
consumption, replacing 10 percent of global oil and coal consumption with gas
could deliver emissions savings of around 3 percent a year (1gt CO2e per
annum). However the report warns that while it may “buy some time,” it
reduces the incentive for investment in lower carbon technologies such as
nuclear and renewables, and could lock in emerging economies with high energy
demand to a dependence on fossil fuels.
Want to take action to keep us on target for only 2 degrees average global temperature increase? Attend aDo the Math Tour 2012event, hosted by350.org.
Photo by Fotolia/Kwest
