Global temperature could rise up to 6 degrees, warns OECD
By the end of this century, global temperatures could rise between 3 and 6 degrees centigrade if current trends continue, warns the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) on Thursday. But there is still time for this scenario with serious consequences to be avoided at a cost of limited actions.
This is the main content of a report on climate change released by the OECD on the eve of the Durban conference, which starts Monday (28) in Durban, South Africa. The ICRC calls on governments to engage around an international agreement.
"The economic costs and environmental consequences of the absence of political action on climate change are significant," warned the secretary, Angel Gurria, during the presentation of the study.
Specifically, measures to modify, especially the energy landscape is expected for 2050 and reducing greenhouse emissions by 70% would cost 5.5% of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) - a number that the authors of the report relativized in news conference to emphasize that mean that the world economic growth over the next four decades would be 3.3% per year instead of 3.5%, a cut of two-tenths.
The report highlighted that not changing current policies would lead to environmental damage that would affect the economy much more. The Stern report of 2006 had anticipated permanent losses of per capita consumption of over 14%.
The OECD warned that without new policies to contain emissions of greenhouse gases, fossil fuels will follow current while maintaining their relative weight, 85% of the total, which would lead to a volume of atmospheric concentrations of 685 parts of carbon dioxide ( CO2) or equivalent per million, far from the 450 that scientists believe that would limit global warming to two degrees Celsius.
For the body, an important point is to establish "a significant price" of CO2 emissions to induce technological change but also setting targets for emissions reductions, "clear, credible and more restrictive" with which "all major emitters , sectors and countries" need to compromise.
More info: Folha.com - Ambiente
