IPCC's Sixth Assessment Report

CONTEXT:

The recently released Sixth report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reflects upon some serious issues and concerns and showcases specific data over the climate change conditions.

FOR PRELIMS:

• In the coming decades, the annual mean precipitation over India is likely to increase due to the current global warming trends.
• The planet was irrevocably headed towards warming by 1.5° Celsius over preindustrial times in the next two decades, according to the most updated scientific consensus from the IPCC
• The 2015 Paris Agreement goal of keeping global warming below 2° Celsius of pre-industrial levels by the turn of century and endeavouring to limit it to 1.5°C seems distant, if the current scenario doesn't changes.
• In view of this, the IPCC has recommended that countries strive to achieve net zero emissions — that is, no additional greenhouse gases were emitted — by 2050.
• The prediction states that the globe would reach 1.5°C in the 2030s, then again increase to 1.6°C, and then showing downward trend with temperatures dropping back down to 1.4°C at the end of the century.
• Based on existing commitments by countries to curb their emission, the world is on track for global temperature warming by at least 2.7°C by 2100, predicts the report, calling it ‘Code red for humanity’.

• Data suggests India to be currently the world’s third largest greenhouse gas emitter, but per capita emissions are much lower.
• The U.S. emitted nearly 9 times more greenhouse gases per capita than India in 2018.

• The report will be the lighthouse in the upcoming Conference of Parties meeting in Glasgow.
• The hot extremes are projected to increase and cold extremes are projected to decrease in the 21st century.
• If emissions continue to rise, oceans and land, two important sinks and the latter a key part of India’s climate action plan , would be greatly weakened in their ability to absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide.

India-specific Data:

• It warns that the coastal areas of India - approximately 28.6 million people will be severely exposed to coastal flooding due to sea level rise by 50 cm.
• Dr. Swapna Panickal, Scientist with the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology at Pune and among the authors of the report evaluates major patterns in changes of climate phenomenon like precipitation and water cycle.

About IPCC:

• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is a scientific government body under the United Nations dedicated to providing the world with a scientific view of climate change and its political and economic impacts on the nations.
• First established in 1988 by two United Nations organizations, the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme, later endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly.
• Composition: It has 195 member states.
• The IPCC has three working groups:

• Working Group I, dealing with the physical science basis of climate change.
• Working Group II, dealing with impacts, adaptation and vulnerability.
• Working Group III, dealing with the mitigation of climate change.

Sources

• The Hindu
• PIB