According to German scientists, the climate target of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels is unrealistic. “Currently, limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius is not plausible”, says a press release from the University of Hamburg on the “Hamburg Climate Futures Outlook 2023”. Above all, consumer and business behavior is delaying urgently needed climate protection, he said.
For the study, about 60 social and natural scientists in an interdisciplinary team examined 10 social factors relevant to climate. This includes UN climate policy, climate protection legislation, protests, social movements, transnational initiatives, lawsuits, consumer behavior, de-investment in the fossil fuel economy, knowledge production and media.
media disagrees
A lot was in motion. But: “The necessary comprehensive decarbonisation is simply taking place too slowly”, explained the head of the Cluster of Excellence “Climate, Climate Change and Society” (Cliccs), Anita Engels. Decarbonization means reducing carbon emissions. According to the authors, the media also behave in an ambivalent way: either they support the goal of a CO2 neutral society, or they undermine it.
Scientists consider serious physical processes such as the loss of Arctic sea ice, melting ice sheets and regional climate change. “But they have little influence on the average global temperature until 2050,” the statement said.
Social change is crucial. But this is not enough so far. State investments to mitigate the consequences of the Corona crisis and the Russian invasion of Ukraine would have reinforced dependence on fossil fuels. “If we don’t meet climate targets, it becomes even more important to adapt to the consequences,” said social scientist Engels.