(RepublicanView.org) – The chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the United Nations’ leading climate change body, said politicians had a responsibility as “ringmasters” to bring about the necessary changes to confront climate change. Professor Jim Skea, a British academic and professor of sustainable energy at Imperial College London, warned world leaders will be judged on whether or not they pursued a “net zero” agenda and whether their words were backed up with actions, according to The Evening Standard.
Skea argued that 50% of the world’s oil and gas needs to stay in the ground, days after British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak granted new licenses for drilling in the North Sea. According to him, adding more oil reserves at this point would create tougher choices for future leaders. The professor said people must vote for politicians willing to take bigger steps amid concerns that the UK’s mainstream politicians are starting to shy away from net zero plans.
Mr. Skea acknowledged efforts by groups such as Just Stop Oil, who he said keep the fossil fuel issue in the public eye. However, he added that such groups might be “alienating” moderate individuals due to their methods.
The US government, meanwhile, has set a target of reaching “net zero” by 2050. Net zero essentially means that the world removes the same amount of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere that it puts in. Achieving net zero will require some massive changes. According to climate activists, coal, oil, and gas must be replaced by wind and solar, and our cars should be electric.
According to a 2021 report from The Guardian, reaching net zero emissions will require the rise of electric vehicles along with the phasing out of gas use in homes. The article indicated that about $2.5 trillion would be needed over the course of the decade in order to meet the country’s goals.
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