Ten key short-term sectoral benchmarks to limit warming to 1.5°C
Kuramochi, Takeshi; Höhne, Niklas; Schaeffer, Michiel; Cantzler, Jasmin; Hare, Bill; Deng, Yvonne; Sterl, Sebastian; Hagemann, Markus; Rocha, Marcia; Yanguas-Parra, Paola Andrea; Mir, Goher Ur Rehman; Wong, Lindee; El-Laboudy, Tarik; Wouters, Karlien; Deryng, Delphine; Blok, Kornelis
(2018) Climate Policy, volume 18, issue 3, pp. 287 - 305
(Article)
Abstract
This article identifies and quantifies the 10 most important benchmarks for climate action to be taken by 2020–2025 to keep the window open for a 1.5°C-consistent GHG emission pathway. We conducted a comprehensive review of existing emissions scenarios, scanned all sectors and the respective necessary transitions, and distilled the most
... read more
important short-term benchmarks for action in line with the long-term perspective of the required global low-carbon transition. Owing to the limited carbon budget, combined with the inertia of existing systems, global energy economic models find only limited pathways to stay on track for a 1.5°C world consistent with the long-term temperature goal of the Paris Agreement. The identified benchmarks include:Sustain the current growth rate of renewables and other zero and low-carbon power generation until 2025 to reach 100% share by 2050;No new coal power plants, reduce emissions from existing coal fleet by 30% by 2025;Last fossil fuel passenger car sold by 2035–2050;Develop and agree on a 1.5°C-consistent vision for aviation and shipping;All new buildings fossil-free and near-zero energy by 2020;Increase building renovation rates from less than 1% in 2015 to 5% by 2020;All new installations in emissions-intensive sectors low-carbon after 2020, maximize material efficiency;Reduce emissions from forestry and other land use to 95% below 2010 levels by 2030, stop net deforestation by 2025;Keep agriculture emissions at or below current levels, establish and disseminate regional best practice, ramp up research;Accelerate research and planning for negative emission technology deployment.Key policy insightsThese benchmarks can be used when designing policy options that are 1.5°C, Paris Agreement consistent.They require technology diffusion and sector transformations at a large scale and high speed, in many cases immediate introduction of zero-carbon technologies, not marginal efficiency improvements.For most benchmarks we show that there are signs that the identified needed transitions are possible: in some specific cases it is already happening.
show less
Download/Full Text
An Open Access version of this item is not available due to the copyright policy of the publisher.
Keywords: 1.5°C, Benchmarking, COP21, mitigation scenarios, Paris Agreement, technological change, transition, UNFCCC, Global and Planetary Change, Environmental Science (miscellaneous), Environmental Science(all), Economics, Econometrics and Finance (miscellaneous), Atmospheric Science, Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
ISSN: 1469-3062
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
(Peer reviewed)