IPCC- 1988

TOPIC: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
• It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
• It is the leading international body for the assessment of climate change.
• It was established together by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 1988.
• This means that it is a part of UNEP which assesses the climate based on available information and publishes report

1. to evaluate the present scenario of climate change and its future impact on environment, livelihood and economics.
2. it does not conduct any research nor does it monitors climate related data or parameters.
3. it only assesses the most recent scientific, technical and socio-economic information produced world over relevant to the understanding of climate change.
4. thousands of scientists voluntarily contribute to provide relevant information.
5. it is open to all member countries of the UN and WMO.

• Currently, the IPCC has 195 members
• The IPCC has so far published 5 Assessment Reports. The 5th one was published in 2014.

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5th Assessment Report:

• What humanity demands from nature is knows as its ecological footprint. When demand or the ecological footprint of humanity is greater than the supply or the bio-capacity of nature to regenerate, it is known as ecological overshoot. From industrial revolution till 2100, the Carbon Dioxide allowance of mankind is around 2900 Gigatons. But we have used up 2/3rd of it already and by 2030, the entire allowance will get exhausted if the ecological footprint grows at the same rate.
• GHGE has increased and will adversely affected food security and economic development.
•  –  Human induced GHGE has increased due to increased fossil fuel consumption, deforestation and meat & livestock industry.
•  –  The production of wheat, rice and maize in the tropical and temperate regions will decline. Wheat production will decline by 50 percent in the Indo-Gangetic plains.
•  –  Natural disasters will increase and lead to loss of life and property, outdoor activities will reduce due to increased temperatures, diseases and so cost of living will increase adversely impacting economic development.
• Source of GHGs :

1. Buildings (6%)
2. Other energy use (10%)
3. Transport (14%)
4. Industry (21%)
5. Agriculture, forest and other land use (24%)
6. Electricity & heat production (25%)

• Country-wise contribution to GHGE:

1. South Africa- 0.9%
2. Canada- 2.2%
3. India- 2.8%
4. Japan- 3.3%
5. Brazil- 4.4%
6. Russia- 7.4%
7. China- 10.7%
8. EU-18.4%
9. US- 21.2%
10. Rest of the world- 28.7%

• GHGE from only fossil fuels and cement:

1. China
2. US
3. EU

For per capita emission in these two areas India, Brazil and South Africa will appear in the bottom 100 countries.

• GHGE from BRICS countries:

1. China
2. Russia
3. Brazil
4. India
5. South Africa

• The report also says that by the end of 21st century the global temperature will increase by

1. 1.5 º in low emission scenario
2. 2 º in high emission scenario
3. 4.8 º in worst case scenario

If we have to confront ecological overshoot and disasters etc., then we will have to limit global warming within 2 º C (3.6F) above the pre-industrial level.

Read more: Climate Change Organisations