News
IPCC Says Limiting Global Warming to 1.5 °C Will Require Drastic Action
The 48th session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC-48) has approved a Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C (SR15) and its Technical Summary, and adopted a Summary for Policymakers (SPM), following its line-by-line discussion. According to the Panel, limiting the global average temperature rise to 1.5ºC is still possible; however, it will require “unprecedented” transitions in all aspects of society, including: the transformation of energy, agricultural, urban and industrial systems; engagement of non-state actors; and integration of climate action into broader public policy and development frameworks.
The Summary consists of four sections:
• Understanding global warming of 1.5°C;
• Projected climate change, potential impacts and associated risks;
• Emission pathways and system transitions consistent with 1.5°C global warming; and
• Strengthening the global response in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty.
The underlying report assesses the latest science on 1.5ºC of warming above preindustrial levels as opposed to 2ºC of warming, which is projected to lead to worse global and regional climate impacts, exposing 420 million more people to severe heatwaves, for example. One of the report’s key messages is that the consequences of 1°C of global warming are already being observed through more extreme weather, rising sea levels and diminishing Arctic sea ice, among other changes. The report highlights climate change impacts that could be avoided by limiting global warming to 1.5°C compared to 2°C, and examines various pathways to limit warming to 1.5°C, what it would take to achieve them and their consequences.
The report explains that global anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions would need to decrease by about 45% from 2010 levels by 2030, reaching net zero by around 2050, meaning that any remaining emissions would need to be balanced by removing CO2 from the air. Allowing the global temperature increase to temporarily exceed or “overshoot” 1.5°C would necessitate greater reliance on CO2 removal techniques to return the global temperature rise to below 1.5°C by 2100. However, such techniques, including carbon capture and storage (CCS), are unproven at a large scale and some may carry significant risks.
According to the report, climate action towards 1.5ºC can also help achieve the SDGs, including those related to agriculture, water, energy, biodiversity, public health and cities – sectors that influence and are influenced by the climate. The SR15 highlights in particular “robust synergies” between 1.5°C pathways and SDGs 3 (good health and well-being), 7 (affordable and clean energy), 11 (sustainable cities and communities), 12 (responsible consumption and production) and 14 (life below water).
In a statement following the release of the SR15, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the report “an ear-splitting wake-up call to the world” noting that “a half of a degree of warming makes a world of difference,” including more heatwaves, greater species loss, increased water scarcity and a total wipe-out of the world’s coral reefs. Guterres stressed the need to: plant billions of trees; drastically reduce fossil fuel use and phase out coal by 2050; ramp up the installation of wind and solar power; invest in climate-friendly sustainable agriculture; and consider new technologies such as CCS. In this regard, he urged countries to raise their ambition, strengthen their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and urgently accelerate implementation of the Paris Agreement.
The SR15 will be a key scientific input into the Katowice Climate Change Conference in Poland in December 2018, when governments are expected to adopt implementation guidelines for the Paris Agreement.
The SR15 is the first in a series of Special Reports to be produced during the IPCC’s sixth assessment cycle. In 2019, the IPCC will release Special Reports on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC) and Climate Change and Land (SRCCL). The Panep will also approve a 2019 Refinement to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National GHG Inventories at IPCC-49 in May 2019 in Kyoto, Japan.
Source: http://sdg.iisd.org
The circular economy model has an important place in the world’s agenda, as well as the potential to provide a net profit of up to €600 billion throughout Europe. ÇEVKO Foundation is leading the efforts for this model to take up a more widespread place in our country’s agenda. So for the transition to circular economy it has brought the experts together at its third workshop called “Financial Mechanisms for Circular Economy.”
Alongside expert finance and consulting institutions on environment and development, authorities from the İstanbul Chamber of Industry, representatives of ÇEVKO Foundation member organizations, directors of various unions and associations were present at the workshop.
ÇEVKO Foundation, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Şekerbank, Industrial Development Bank of Turkey (TSKB) and officials from Andoka Consulting also gave presentations.
Sarıyer Municipality organised the 2nd Environment and Art Days on 7th and 8th September in Kilyos. Many environmentalists from Turkey and around the world, artists and non-governmental organizations (STK) including ÇEVKO Foundation took part in the event.
Environmental activists, artists, sculptors, students, art enhusiasts, environmentalist associations, platform and initiatives all came together at the festival, where various environmentalist activities from baking vegan cakes to sand art, from sand lilies to “pedalling for the nature”, from coastal cleaning to concerts and workshops took place.
ÇEVKO Foundation opened a stand to give information while at the same time giving support to the forward-cycling workshops with Zeliha Sunal’s Waste-free Life Platform. Sunal emphasized the importance of recycling and demonstrated how to make use of pet and glass bottles, jars, soda bottle lids, beverage cans.
Roche has been elected the most sustainable company in Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the tenth time in a row for “Medicine, Biotechnology and Life Sciences” industry. The index is based on the detailed analysis of the companies’ economic, social, and environmental performances, and it constitutes a criterion for the investors that consider sustainability as a factor in their portfolios.
Severin Schwan, CEO of Roche, said that they were very proud to have been elected as the leader in the field of sustainability for the tenth time, and went on, “Our most important contribution as Roche to the community is that we develop drugs and diagnostic tools that significantly improve the lives of people. Our open and constructive dialogue with other companies, universities, doctors, and patients plays an important role in our understanding the needs of our health sector stakeholders, hence, enables us to work together to present more target-oriented medical solutions more quickly.”
Kahramankazan Municipality and ÇEVKO Foundation together have started the “Kahramankazan Municipality Packaging Waste Recycling Project.” Recycling bins were placed in various parts of the district to collect glass, metal, plastic, paper, cardboard, and composite waste packaging material. ÇEVKO Foundation will distribute informative flyers on the project to ensure the participation of the district folk.
L’Oréal Turkey, a member of ÇEVKO Foundation has been organizing a worldwide Citizen Day since 2010. One day of the year employees come together to contribute to the community and the environment. And this year in Turkey the event took place on 19th September, Wednesday. In addition to the coastal cleaning, the employees put up shelters for stray animals.
The 185 employees of L’Oréal Turkey took a boat from İstanbul to Kınalıada and spent the first half of the day cleaning up in four different locations that had been determined beforehand. Those who cleaned the forest road and the coastline collected approximately 1 ton of garbage. In the afternoon the employees made shelters for the street animals, painted the shelters, and left food at the feding points for stray cats and dogs.
Serik Municipality started a project with the name “Packaging Waste Is Not Garbage, Must Be Recycled” in order to spread the concept of recycling and to increase environmental awareness. The Directorate Of Sanitation, together with ÇEVKO started to put “Waste Pet Bottle Collecting Containers” in different parts of Serik. These containers in the shape of a bottle have attracted the attention and admiration of the public.
L’Oréal continues to share with the public its targets regarding sustainability with its micro website www.guzelligiherkeslepaylasmak.com
L’Oréal’s Sustainability Programme Sharing Beauty With All, which was started in 2013, is an important part of the social responsibility approach of L’Oreal, and the aim is to create a positive impact on the community and environment all over the world.
This programme defines L’Oréal’s sustainability commitments under four headings: Sustainable Innovation, Sustainable Production, Sustainable Life, and Sustainable Development.
Global and Turkey results of L’Oreal sustainability reports, detailed information and figures can be reached at the website.
L’Oréal Global 2020 Sustainability Targets:
. 100% of the products will carry positive environmental and social properties.
. CO2 emission from factories and distribution centers will definitely be reduced by 60% compared to 2005.
. CO2 emission resulting from the transporting of the goods will be reduced by 20% compared to 2011.
. Water consumption for each sales product will be reduced by 60% compared to 2005.
. Waste rate for each sales product will be reduced by 60% compared to 2005.
. In communities with limited resources work will be provided for more than 100,000 people by 2020.
Extended Producer Responsibility (GÜS) is an effective model to fulfill the recycling targets in waste management. It enables the industry to contribute to the process financially and technically as well as in operations and communication. Here we will talk about ÇEVKO Foundation’s contributions to the reduction of greenhouse gases in order to combat the climate change with the GÜS model in recycling.
A substantial part of recyclable waste in terms of volume and weight comes from
. glass,
. metal,
. plastic,
. paper/cardboard,
. composite,
. wood
In order to explain the GÜS model in packaging waste management, it is necessary to take a look at the life cycle of the packaging (See: outline 1). In circular economy used packagings are collected from the consumers at the source and separately from other waste, and following the necessary procedures they are recycled to be used in the making of new products.
The 30th Samsung Boğaziçi Intercontinental Swimming Competition organized by the Turkish Olympic Committee took place on 21st -22nd July with the participation of swimmers from 52 countries. The competition, which was elected “The World’s Best Open Water Swimming Organization” has been contributing to the promotion of İstanbul and Turkey for 30 years, and this year a total of 2,400 swimmers from home and abroad signed up for this important event from Asia to Europe starting at Kanlıca and ending at Kuruçeşme Cemil Topuzlu Park.
Thousands of sports fans watched the race in excitement and the packaging wastes were collected with the collaboration of ÇEVKO Foundation and the Beşiktaş Municipality. ÇEVKO also informed the athletes and the fans on recycling at its stand, drawing attention with a promotion “Bring your packaging waste, take away your cap.”
During the races, 240 kg of plastic, 280 kg of paper/cardboard, 20 kg of metal, and 60 kg of glass waste were collected. The environmental benefit as a result of the recycling of this waste was calculated as;
- 2835 kWh electricity saving
- 7 cubic meters of water saving
- gaining of 5 trees
- 0,4 tons of CO2 reduction (equal to the use of a car for 1493 km)
