The IPCC published a new part of its sixth report on climate change, Monday April 4, 2022. This time, the scientists, who had already worked on the physical evolution of the climate and its effects on human societies and biodiversity , issue recommendations for achieving the 1.5°C target. Will they be heard in the current context of the energy crisis, which enshrines the return of coal, almost everywhere in the world, including in Morocco?
The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) has just published a new part of its sixth report on climate change.
A publication which comes in a particularly difficult context, marked by a massive return to coal, practically everywhere in the world, because of the scarcity and high cost of raw materials (oil, gas, etc.), induced by the Covid health crisis. -19, and exacerbated by the Russian-Ukrainian war.
Remember that with the approach of winter in the northern hemisphere, gas and oil prices had already started to soar, causing multiple power shortages. Many countries were thus finding it increasingly difficult to meet their energy needs, a situation which has pushed some to favor coal once more, despite its ecological cost.
A context of massive use of coal
France, in particular, has increased the rate of its coal-fired power stations to meet electricity demand. Germany’s attempt to phase out nuclear and coal simultaneously by 2030 has also been considerably complicated. After the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, coal, once considered as a transition fuel on the way to renewable energies, is being reconsidered in the first economy of the European Union.
Our country is not immune to the destabilizing effects of this energy crisis either. Unfortunately, the Kingdom is even doubly affected. It was first of all cut off from the gas it received free of charge via the Maghreb Europe Gas Pipeline, by its eastern neighbor who unilaterally decided to close the tap on October 31st. This decision having forced Morocco to stop the production of its combined cycle gas power plants (CGCC) of Aïn Béni Mathar and Tahaddart, the country had no choice but to turn to coal to satisfy its electrical needs.
While waiting to be able to import gas, this recourse to coal, the only viable alternative in these times of crisis, unfortunately risks increasing the quantity of carbon emitted into the atmosphere, which is, as we know, in total contradiction with the promises and commitments made in the COPs (Conferences of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change – UNFCCC).
Thus, following years of decline, CO2 emissions should experience, in 2022, one of their strongest increases in history. The IPCC is aware of the situation. This is why, in the new part of its sixth report on climate change, published on Monday April 4, 2022, it proposes solutions to achieve the objective of 1.5°C warming by 2100.
Actions to be initiated in industry, agriculture, transport and construction
In industry, responsible for around 24% of CO2 emissions, scientists are talking regarding coordinated actions “along the value chain”, to “use materials more efficiently, reuse and recycle them, reduce waste “.
“These options have the potential to be used more in industrial practices and require greater attention from industrial policies,” note the authors of the text. In agriculture, forest and land use, which emit regarding 22% of CO2, the IPCC recommends the “preservation, better management and restoration of forests and other ecosystems, such as coastal marshes, peatlands, savannas and grasslands », as well as sustainable management of crops and livestock.
In Transport (regarding 15% of GHG emissions), UN climate experts list several options: reduction in transport demand (telework, less urban sprawl), transfer to less polluting modes (public transport), active modes (cycling, walking) with corresponding investments (cycle paths, sidewalks), electrification of vehicles (less polluting than thermal ones over their entire life cycle) and biofuels (even if the latter present risks of conflict over land use with food).
In Buildings (regarding 6% of GHG emissions), the report notes that cities and urban areas offer “significant opportunities” to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This must include “reducing or changing energy and material consumption”, “electrification” and increasing the city’s capacity to capture and store carbon (with green spaces, for example).
What regarding carbon capture and financing?
To limit warming to 1.5°C compared to the pre-industrial era, the world must reach carbon neutrality by 2050 (2070 for a limitation of warming to 2°C), recalls the IPCC. To do this, in addition to reducing our emissions, “the deployment of carbon dioxide capture devices, to offset residual emissions, is inevitable,” they write.
The latter, which are difficult to remove, come from sectors such as agriculture (methane emitted by ruminants, for example) or aviation. The IPCC envisages as solutions the development of natural carbon sinks, thanks to reforestation and changes in soil practices, as well as artificial solutions for the capture and storage of CO2.
Last but not least, in terms of funding, the IPCC recalls that significant funding is needed to carry out this transition. He notes that today, “private and public financial flows towards fossil fuels are still greater than those planned for the adaptation and mitigation of climate change”.
According to the scientists’ calculations, annual funding for the 2020s should be “three to six times greater than current levels” to meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement.
Aziz Diouf / ECO Inspirations
