The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on April 12
approved the Summary for Policymakers of the Working Group III (WGIII)
contribution to the Fifth Assessment Report.
The report unveiled in Berlin, Germany entitled Climate Change 2014:
Mitigation of Climate Change is the third of three Working Group
reports, which, along with a Synthesis Report due in October 2014,
constitute the IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report on climate change.
Dr. Shobhakar is Co-Coordinating Lead Author of the chapter on Human
Settlements, Infrastructure and Spatial Planning, along with Prof.
Karen Seto of Yale University. This
is a new chapter in IPCC assessment which was not covered in the
previous assessments.
The Nepal native is one of only two scientists from Thailand-based
institutes to contribute to the report that was meticulously
researched, written, reviewed, and finalized by 235 authors from 58
countries. The worldwide scientific collaboration of international
experts took over four years to complete.
SEE DETAILS: http://mitigation2014.org/contributor/chapter-12
Working Group III assesses all relevant options for mitigating climate
change through limiting or preventing greenhouse gas emissions and
enhancing activities that remove them from the atmosphere.
According to the report, it would be possible, using a wide array of
technological measures and changes in behaviour, to limit the increase
in global mean temperature to two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial
levels. However, only major institutional and technological change will
give a better than even chance that global warming will not exceed this
threshold.
Commenting on the context of the challenge, Dr. Shobhakar said:
"Business as usual is not an option in combating global climate change,
as the cost of inaction or delay exceeds the cost of action. Mitigation
challenges from human settlements are huge and there are windows of
opportunities, but they will be fast closing in next two decades if we
do not act soon.
"Urban areas are critical for global climate change mitigation given
52% global population living in urban areas now which is likely to
increase to about 64-69% by 2050 and urban areas are already
contributing a large majority of global energy use (67-75%) and energy
related CO2 emissions (71-76%)."
He added: “Large opportunities exist in rapidly urbanizing areas where
new cities and new infrastructure are being and will be built. It is
crucial that we set urban form and make infrastructure choices correct
in these new urban settlements so that they do not lock-in into high
carbon pathways. However, these are also the areas where governance,
institutional, technical, and financial capacity might be a limiting
factor. Density, land use mix, connectivity, and accessibilities are
key drivers for energy and CO2 emissions mediated by
infrastructure."
Speaking on the solutions available to humanity, Dr. Shobhakar said:
"The mitigation options vary from place to place – but there are no
silver bullets. It needs systemic and integrated solutions that cut
across several sectors such as job-housing, transport-land use, and
energy demand and supply densities.
"In order to realize these opportunities, institutional arrangements,
governance mechanisms, and financial resources should be aligned with
the goals of reducing urban GHG emissions. Proper governance is a big
key, as policies across many sectors need to be bundled for greater
effectiveness. The level of implementation and effectiveness of current
climate change mitigation plans of thousands of cities needs to be
further strengthened.
"If we are successful in urban climate change mitigation, it also can
provide several other co-benefits such as mitigation of air pollution,
improvement in human health, reduction of congestion, economic
productivity, and access to new finance amongst others."
