geog 5

Global warming is masked by

aerosol cooling

Aerosols

atmospheric pollution particles

What has a cooling effect

Aerosols that mainly scatter solar radiation by
enhancing the total reflected solar radiation from the Earth

What has a warming effect

Strongly absorbing aerosols

Current warming is all caused by

human activities and their associated
greenhouse gas emissions

What gas contributes the most to warming

CO2

Current warming

1.1 degrees

Why is it important to limit warming to 1.5

accelerated implementation of adaptation in this decade is important
to close adaptation gaps

Benefits of near term climate action

• Substantially reduced losses and damages
• Improved air quality and human health
• Improved agricultural productivity and food security
• Biodiversity conservation: there are immediate benefits from
conserving high carbon ecosystems.
• More feasible and effective options to adapt to climate change risks,
because with increasing warming more adaptation options will reach
their limits.

Timing of climate action

Very important: A
decarbonised electricity
sector helps other
sectors decarbonise

Costs of delayed climate action

• Increased losses and damages
• More human and natural systems reaching adaptation limits
• Lock-in of infrastructure
• Stranded assets
• Reduced feasibility and effectiveness of mitigation and adaptation
options (e.g., for options relying on ecosystems and increased
feasibility risks for large-scale deployment of land-based carbon
capture and storage)

Rapid transitions across all sectors

• There are no silver bullet solutions: far-reaching transitions
across all sectors are necessary to secure a liveable and
sustainable future for all.
• Many feasible, effective and low-cost options are already
available.
• Zero-emission technologies; reducing and changing demand;
social protection; climate services; conserving ecosystems.
• Enabling conditions are essential for achieving the transitions.