Climate emergency ten-point action plan

The United Nations Secretary-General has warned that government action on the climate emergency is inadequate and has called for "a grassroots movement that cannot be ignored".
Based on the scientific consensus on climate change, and international commitments, the following ten points are an outline of how such a grassroots movement should act.

1. Decide on the overall aim and priority:  Limit global warming to 1.5°C - and make it the highest priority for civilised societies
2. Decide on the global strategy:  Limit further CO2 emissions to 400 billion tonnes CO2
3. Decide how to allocate the residual CO2 budget between nations:  On the basis of equity
4. Assess progress so far:  Minimal
5. Identify the reasons for lack of progress:  Poor decision making throughout society
6. Improve decision making
7. Plan the necessary actions:  Radical cuts in emissions in rich countries
8. Take personal action:  Radical cuts in emissions if personally high-polluting
9. Ensure good decision making:  Challenge fallacies, incompetence and malpractice
10. Answer genuine objections.

The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, warned in 2022 that government action on the climate emergency is inadequate and called for "a grassroots movement that cannot be ignored" (see document 136):
  • "Some government and business leaders are saying one thing - but doing another. Simply put, they are lying"
  • "We owe a debt to young people, civil society and indigenous communities for sounding the alarm and holding leaders accountable. We need to build on their work to create a grassroots movement that cannot be ignored."

This document sets out a ten-point plan that such a grassroots movement should take up.

It is based on

1. Decide on the overall aim:  Limit global warming to 1.5°C

The reasons why determined efforts are being made to limit global warming to 1.5°C
Read more in document 152.

It is understandable that young people want a safe climate that is similar to what adults have enjoyed (see document 61), not a world ravaged by droughts, storms, floods and rising sea levels, with more and more people forced to leave their homes and become climate refugees. The case for limiting global warming to less than 1.5°C is overwhelming. Global warming has already reached 1.1°C, so the situation has become an emergency.

2. Decide on the global strategy:  Limit further CO2 emissions to 400 billion tonnes

Net zero dates do not matter; what matters is the total cumulative emissions by the net zero date. Further global emissions of CO2 need to be limited to a total 400 billion tonnes CO2 from Jan 2020, as explained in the 2021 IPCC AR6 report (see document 54). (The production in 2018 was 34 billion tonnes CO2.)

3. Decide how to allocate the residual CO2 budget between nations:  On the basis of equity

The only justifiable way is on the basis of equity. This is specified in the Paris Agreement, which also specifies that developed countries will cut emissions faster than developing countries - see document 122. The global total of 400 billion tonnes works out at 50 tonnes CO2 per person on the planet - see document 54.

4. Assess progress so far:  Minimal

It has been known for decades that burning fossil fuels is dangerous for the climate and needs to cease. But:

5. Identify the reasons for lack of progress:  Poor decision making throughout society

See document 34

6. Improve decision making

The process of decision making must be improved. Some essential components are
See document 40


7. Plan the necessary actions:  Radical cuts in emissions in rich countries

Annual cuts in emissions of over 10% in high-polluting countries are needed to meet their commitments in the Paris Agreement. This inevitably means major changes in lifestyles for many, especially the rich, e.g. flying is not affordable within a lifetime carbon budget of 50 tonnes per person, and the nature of international travel will have to change until sustainable solutions are developed.

The IPCC said in 2018 that "rapid and far-reaching transitions" were needed in all parts of society. There has been dither and delay by governments since then, and so the situation has become even more urgent.

Ensure the poorest are protected. The poorest countries need help with their development and adaptation to climate change. Within each country, the poorest individuals must be protected e.g. carbon tax income is used to improve public transport, and to give targetted help with home insulation.

8. Take personal action:  Radical cuts in emissions if personally high-polluting

Individuals should

9. Ensure good decision making:  Challenge fallacies, denial, incompetence and misconduct

Decision making needs to be scrutinised and supervised so that competent plans are drawn up and implemented on schedule.
See document 132.

10. Answer genuine objections


References

[1]Turning delusion into climate action - Prof Kevin Anderson, an interview (2020) Scientists for Global Responsibility https://www.sgr.org.uk/resources/turning-delusion-climate-action-prof-kevin-anderson-interview
[2]https://www.sgr.org.uk/projects/science-oath-climate-text-and-signing

First published: Mar 2019
Last updated: 22 Jan 2024