Greenpeace reaction to IPCC synthesis report

Greenpeace reaction to final installment of IPCC Sixth Climate Assessment – ‘The Wolf is at the Door’

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has delivered its synthesis report – the final chapter of the Sixth Assessment – to world governments in Interlaken, Switzerland today.

In the first comprehensive IPCC report in nine years, and the first since the Paris Agreement, the report brings together three working group reports and three special reports to paint a sobering reality but not one without hope, if governments act now.

Rebecca Newsom, Head of Politics at Greenpeace UK, said:

“Forget distant tropical islands and future generations – we have already seen what 40C summers and flash flooding look like here in the UK. The wolf is at the door. For many other communities around the world, like those facing devastating floods in Pakistan and Malawi, the danger of climate change is clear and present.

“Now is not the time for despair. We must fight to stop every fraction of a degree increase in global warming. Scientists and economists are clear that the technological solutions and economic case have never been more compelling. Rather than throwing lifelines to dodgy nuclear and unproven carbon capture schemes, the government should grasp the renewable energy system that will bring cleaner air, green jobs and cheaper and more secure supply.

“But that also means closing the stopcock before our house floods. Fossil fuel companies have access to infrastructure and reserves that will force global warming beyond dangerous limits. We absolutely cannot risk more exploration and drilling. Fossil fuel companies must stop drilling and start paying tax on their bumper profits so we can ramp up renewables and support the most affected people worldwide.”

Kaisa Kosonen, Senior Policy Expert at Greenpeace Nordic, said:

“The threats are huge, but so are the opportunities for change. This is our moment to rise up, scale up and be bold. Governments must stop doing just a little better and start doing enough.

“Thanks to brave scientists, communities and progressive leaders around the world, who’ve persistently advanced climate solutions like solar and wind energy for years and decades, we now have everything needed to solve this mess. It’s time to up our game, deliver on climate justice and push fossil fuel interests out of the way. There’s a role for everyone to play.”

Li Shuo, Senior Policy Advisor, Greenpeace East Asia said:

“The research is very clear. China needs to cut fossil fuel use immediately. Developing renewable energy on the side is not enough. At this stage, it needs to be all hands on deck towards a renewable energy future and the longer we invest funding in coal, the more at risk we all are to the climate disasters that are already a serious threat. And the financial risk that new coal plants will pose should also be concerning to any observer.”

The report re-emphasised that the solutions already exist and this is the crucial decade for climate action as climate impacts continue to intensify, projected to escalate with every bit of additional warming. The IPCC laid down the facts as detailed scientific guidance, giving governments another chance to do right for people and the planet.

But time and chances are not unlimited and the report will define climate politics for the rest of the year, leaving world leaders to make progress, or further enable climate injustice. COP28, the upcoming climate summit in the United Arab Emirates must address today’s report in the critical race to end dependencies on fossil fuels, boost renewables and support a just transition to a zero carbon future.

This concludes the IPCC Sixth Assessment.