Consumption of fossil fuels remains the majority on the entire planet compared to other energy sources. ButHow much time do we have left to stop the exploitation of coal and oil?? The answer is not simple, but it is urgent to have it. That’s why a group of researchers decided to estimate for the first time the margin of use of fossil fuels we have left to prevent planetary collapse. And not too much.
According to researchers, To avoid climate catastrophe—that is, temperatures rising by more than 1.5ºC over pre-industrial times—we must forget to exploit at least 60% of the planet’s oil and gas and up to 90% of the remaining coal. 2050.
Aware of the challenge this poses, researchers insist that measures are needed to reduce dependency on coal and oil from now on. 2022 should be the twist year, considering that from now on, economic dependency should decrease by 3% per year.
Otherwise, the remaining 0.3ºC will be reached before humanity can adapt so that global temperatures are 1.5ºC above the industrial period. even to new climate dynamics. But the risk is even greater, given that global thermometers won’t stop there and will continue to rise until temperatures are completely unbearable for life.
Achieving this is no easy task, and this is reflected in this article recently published in the journalism by the researchers themselves. Nature. As they say, there are countries like The United States or Russia, which contains half of the world’s coal. To achieve the proposed targets, these two great powers would have to give up mining 97% of their coal.
On your own behalf Oil-producing states—mostly in the Middle East—must avoid extracting two-thirds of their reserves by 2050.. Similarly, most of Canada’s oil sands should no longer be burned. The fossil fuel underlying the Arctic should no longer be exploited either.
Need for a sudden change in the economic model
Researchers realize that the only way to meet their forecasts is to make a sudden planet-level change in the economic model. It is a task that will undoubtedly create obstacles, especially in countries that are highly dependent on fossil fuels such as Iraq or Angola. It is recommended that foreign aid be provided for these countries to help them achieve a just energy transition where they can diversify their economies.
These estimates may even be unpretentious, as the researchers claim, and fail on their own to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.. As such, they insist the effort to avoid climate chaos is likely to be much greater. In other words, the oil and coal available for the next few years will be much less.
Likewise, researchers have determined that the energy conversion required to make this transition will require a series of political actions to reduce fossil fuel consumption.. Among them, the researchers highlight a possible ban on petrol cars or the promotion of renewable energies. Policy measures should even target production itself, which may include restrictions on new mining licenses.
Finally, the researchers stress its importance. strengthen international alliances. And this practice has shown that the two countries can better manage oil consumption and extraction together. The example of the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance, formed by Denmark and Costa Rica, has gained enough power to encourage other countries to halt investment in new oil and gas projects.
“It is possible to phase out global fossil fuel production at the rate we recommend,” the scientists said in a press release. However, they stress that the implementation of “some of the measures announced” will depend on it.
Reference work: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03821-8
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