The current situation

We should immediately develop transnational concepts, convince hesitants and execute projects in order to prevent a further damaging of our world.

Isn’t that exaggerating the current situation?

No, definitely not. Since the 1960’ scientists have warned us what is happening now. Back then they already sketched a grim and accurate picture what will happen if the growing worldwide population does not stop emitting a lot of CO₂ and other climate critical and polluting materials.

Anybody who has at least read the press release of the second part of the Climate Change 2022 IPCC report (Working Group II) which was distributed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and who believes in science, has to acknowledge that this report shows a devastating picture. 270 authors from 67 countries and 675 contributing writers have worked together. Nothing is sugarcoated. This IPCC report just provides the brutally honest truth on 3675 pages, period!

During the "United Nations Environmental Assembly - Leadership Dialogue 1", held in Nairobi on Feb 29th 2024, the chair of the IPCC, Mr. Jim Skea said: "There are obvious gaps between aspiration and action across all the goals of the Paris Agreement – mitigation, adaptation and finance. Science can provide the evidential basis for action. But it cannot fill the vacuum created by policy inaction. Forgive me for sounding like that broken record. Science alone is not enough. Policymakers, your leadership is critical in turning the science we provide into purposeful climate action." © Copyright 2024 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

The AR6 Synthesis report of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) about the worldwide climate change, that was largely finalized in March 2023 emphasizes that the climate change moves on faster than expected (some details are shown in the headline statements). The previous actions to slow that global warming process down are by far not enough to stay within the range between 1.5 and 2 degrees centigrade above the global preindustrial temperature. But the report does as well provide solutions to fight the pace of the climate change. The press release of the IPCC report underlines that "Urgent climate action can secure a liveable future for all". “Mainstreaming effective and equitable climate action will not only reduce losses and damages for nature and people, it will also provide wider benefits,” said IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee. “This Synthesis Report underscores the urgency of taking more ambitious action and shows that, if we act now, we can still secure a liveable sustainable future for all.” © Copyright 2023 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

We can NOT survive safely on our planet once we have successfully destroyed it to a degree where the climate has changed to a point of no return. Where more and more of the so called climate tipping points have been overrun. Each tipping point has already often been described in detail by renowned climate scientists including the result that will occur once we have reached or even overrun it. In addition these scientists provided steps to prevent that dangerous development. Therefore it is not an option to move on like now.

Life-threatening events such as floods, periods of drought, heat waves, tornadoes, storms, wildfires or increasing food shortages due to crop failures are occurring more and more frequently around the world. The costs of preventing and combating damage caused by extreme environmental events are constantly increasing.

We should reassess if the often proclaimed target of an ongoing and unlimited economical growth will be a viable solution in the future. Because that will also require an unlimited amount of resources which is not possible.

In 1970 a study called "The Limits to Growth. A Report for the Club of Rome’s Project on the Predicament of Mankind", was commissioned by members of the Club of Rome. It was written by scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, MA (USA) and released in 1972.

The study has always been controversial but some of the outcomes are prevailing and relevant today, fifty years later. Several updates of the study and the presented data have shown that the study still contains valid arguments. The German public radio SWR (Südwestrundfunk) offers interesting information about the Club of Rome and the book (unfortunately only in German language).

There were also some similar strong warnings in a letter dated 1971 and today called the "Menton Message". It was written by scientists for their "three and a half billion neighbors on planet earth", signed by 2.200 environmental scientists from 23 countries and presented at the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm in 1972. Already then, the authors were warning about an "unprecedented common danger facing mankind". In this fifty year old document very current topics were already addressed, too.

Fortunately every challenge or crisis offers opportunities. The same applies here. New jobs will be created. In order to fight the climate change, a painful transition is already starting in heavily affected sectors like the car industry, coal production or the oil industry. The transition does also affect industrial sectors that are highly dependent on natural gas, oil or coal like steel production, glass industry, concrete factories or paper production plants. But the severe changes will provide access to new business models. Further enlargements of sustainable sectors like the wind farms, the production of green hydrogen or the photovoltaics industry will help avoiding a rising unemployment and will increase the added value. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimated recently that the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy will create 85 million new jobs worldwide. This development should surpass substantially the estimated loss of 12 million jobs in the fossil fuel industry (Source: IRENA 2022: Energy Transition Holds Key to Tackle Global Energy and Climate Crisis Tweet, press release, International Renewable Energy Agency, Abu Dhabi). All of these developments offer various investment opportunities for our investors.

Some food for thought:

The reports on the COP 28 climate conference in Dubai in December 2023, with an oil tycoon as chairman, were more than sobering. Although there were not only negative news spreading after the end of the conference, the overall outcome in terms of climate change was not at all convincing.



© Copyright Mercator Research Institute on

Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC)