As rumour goes it must have been quite a fight about phrases and points before the third part of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) report was ready to get released today. Titled “Mitigation of Climate Change” this part deals with exactly that: how to mitigate or even avoid the worst consequences of climate change based on our knowledge today. The sigh couldn’t have been greater around the world reflected in today’s headlines. The German magazine “Der Spiegel” for example reads: “Saving the world will only cost the thousandth part of the global gross domestic product”.
It implies that most people thought it would be worse. After the first two reports stating the crude facts about the scientific basis of climate change and its impacts, things didn’t look good for us. We thought we would have to pay for the part we played in causing the crises.Based on the newest report, it seems like money isn’t our problem. In fact our problem is time. Till 2050, CO2 emissions have to be minimized by 50 to 85 percent. Consequences for our nearer future are that we have to stop CO2 emissions from going up till 2015. The report includes a list of things which can be done to reach the goal. But the most crucial part hides behind the numbers: the whole world has to work together and move in one direction. More than questionable thinking of the efforts undertaken by China to water down this part of the report as well as all the industrial nations still having to find a common strategy how to deal with climate change. One thing is for sure yet: the costs for mitigation are relatively manageable right now – but will get higher with every second we hesitate or stuck in negotiations.