The document summarizes key findings from Working Group III's contribution to the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report on mitigation of climate change. It finds that greenhouse gas emissions growth has accelerated in recent decades despite reduction efforts. Most recent emissions growth has been driven by economic activity, and the trend of gradual decarbonization of energy has reversed. Limiting warming to 2°C above pre-industrial levels presents substantial technological, economic, and institutional challenges and requires moving away from baseline emissions regardless of the mitigation goal.
2. Working Group III contribution to the
IPCC Fifth Assessment Report
GHG emissions growth has
accelerated despite reduction efforts.
3. Working Group III contribution to the
IPCC Fifth Assessment Report
GHG emissions growth between 2000 and 2010 has been larger
than in the previous three decades.
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±4.5Gt
4. Working Group III contribution to the
IPCC Fifth Assessment Report
More than half of the cumulative anthropogenic emissions of
CO2 between 1750 and 2010 have occurred in the last 40 years.
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IPCC WGIII AR5 based on Figure 5.3
5. Working Group III contribution to the
IPCC Fifth Assessment Report
Most of the recent GHG emission growth has been driven by
growth in economic activitiy.
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6. Working Group III contribution to the
IPCC Fifth Assessment Report
The long-standing trend of gradual decarbonisation of energy
has reversed recently.
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7. Working Group III contribution to the
IPCC Fifth Assessment Report
Limit warming to 2°C relative to pre-industrial
levels involves substantial technological,
economic and institutional challenges.
8. Working Group III contribution to the
IPCC Fifth Assessment Report
Stabilization of atmospheric concentrations requires moving
away from the basline – regardless of the mitigation goal.
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9. Working Group III contribution to the
IPCC Fifth Assessment Report
Stabilization of atmospheric concentrations requires moving
away from the basline – regardless of the mitigation goal.
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10. Working Group III contribution to the
IPCC Fifth Assessment Report
Stabilization of atmospheric concentrations requires moving
away from the basline – regardless of the mitigation goal.
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~3°C
11. Working Group III contribution to the
IPCC Fifth Assessment Report
Mitigation involves substantial upscaling of low carbon energy.
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12. Working Group III contribution to the
IPCC Fifth Assessment Report
Delaying mitigation increases the difficulty and narrows the
options for limiting warming to 2°C.
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„immediate action“
13. Working Group III contribution to the
IPCC Fifth Assessment Report
Delaying mitigation increases the difficulty and narrows the
options for limiting warming to 2°C.
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14. Working Group III contribution to the
IPCC Fifth Assessment Report
Delaying mitigation increases the difficulty and narrows the
options for limiting warming to 2°C.
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15. Working Group III contribution to the
IPCC Fifth Assessment Report
Delaying mitigation is estimated to increase the difficulty and
narrow the options for limiting warming to 2°C.
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„immediate action“
„delayed mitigation“
16. Working Group III contribution to the
IPCC Fifth Assessment Report
Delaying mitigation is estimated to increase the difficulty and
narrow the options for limiting warming to 2°C.
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17. Working Group III contribution to the
IPCC Fifth Assessment Report
Delaying mitigation is estimated to increase the difficulty and
narrow the options for limiting warming to 2°C.
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Current Cancun Pledges imply
increased mitigation challenges for
reaching 2°C.
18. Working Group III contribution to the
IPCC Fifth Assessment Report
Mitigation cost estimates vary, but do not
strongly affect global GDP growth.
19. Working Group III contribution to the
IPCC Fifth Assessment Report
Avoiding dangerous climate change is a necessary, but not
sufficient condition for sustainable development.
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20. Working Group III contribution to the
IPCC Fifth Assessment Report
Climate policy may be a reasonable entry point for meeting a
larger array of policy objectives.
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21. Working Group III contribution to the
IPCC Fifth Assessment Report
Co-benefits of climate change mitigation for human health could
be large and provide short-term incentives for climate policies.
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Based on Figures SPM.6 and 12.23
22. Working Group III contribution to the
IPCC Fifth Assessment Report
Climate change mitigation is a global
commons problem that requires
international cooperation and
coordination across scales.
