IPCC AR6 Summary for Policy Makers (SUP SR) : a tool to foster urban transition toward net-zero
by Domenico Vito
COP27, Sharm-el-Sheik – On Friday 11/11/2022 during the side event Summary of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) for Urban Policymakers has been presented the
The Report is officially to be released from Monday November 14th and it launched of a synthesis of IPCC AR6 that distils key scientific messages for the urban context, building on the CoP26 call for multi-level climate action and continuity to policy-relevant climate action from CoP24 to CoP27.
Source: Summary of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) for Urban Policymakers
The panel has been one of most high levels , here some names Youba Sokona and Thelma Krug IPCC Vice Chairs, Seth Schultz SR 1.5 , Aromar Revi AR6 WGII, SR1.5 , Panmao Zhai IPCC WGI Co-Chair, Debra Roberts WGII Co-Chair, Jim Skea WGIII Co-Chair.
The event has been a useful knowledge build-base to address adaptation policies in urban context.
During the event has been remarked how the hyper-growth of the cities in terms of land use demographic shifts has lead to growing inequality and unsustainable consumption that have driven green gas emission, ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss.
Source: Summary of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) for Urban Policymakers
Presentation Side Event COP27
Such situation interrogate societies to existential challenges especially in urban areas all over the world.
Standing to the report some cities have experience mean local warming of beyond 1.5°C.
This lead to considerable exacerbation of climate risks in urban areas by the interaction of climate hazards, exposure to inadeguate infrastructures underlying vulnerability urban poverty, inequality and uneven adaptive capacities (Skea, SUP IPCC AR6 2022).
Source: Summary of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) for Urban Policymakers
Presentation Side Event COP27
The nature of climate related risk is changing in urbanizing world: they are becoming increasing systemic simultaneous and affects multiple locations and different timescale, leading to cascading and compounding impacts.
Furthermore, the report identifies that climate impacts are felt disproportionately in socioeconomically marginalized communities.
The current policies will cause global warming exceed 2°C by 2050, and in term of urban adaptation significant gaps are still remaining.
IPCC estimations counted that around the world over 100 cities have developed climate adaptation, and 170 include adaptation into their policies of planing: but actually even if all planned adaption is implemented it will result insufficient to address all risks faced by urban areas.
Current implemented measures can result insufficient especially if global warming still increases.
For this reason is important to act timely avoiding further delays to act in the narrow window that still allows a liveable future for all.
The report recommends cities to act system transitions as key to address systemic risk to coupled human natural and climate systems.
These includes 5 simultaneous transitions that are a) urban and infrastructure systems, b) land coastal, ocean and freshwater ecosystems, c) Energy systems d) Industrial systems e) societal choices and transitions.
Actually such systemic transition
Source: Summary of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) for Urban Policymakers
Together these transition advance sustainable development alongside adaptation and mitigation
Urban and infrastructure system transition can be accelerated by implementing feasible adaptation options, many with strong synergies with mitigation:
- urban and regional planning that promote compact urbanization and protect ecosystems
- upgrading informal settlements by investing in accessible climate resilient infrastructures
- locally relevant ecosystem-based adaptation options and nature -based solutions
- social infrastructure and services such as health, education social safety nets, climate services and disaster management
Some of the enabling conditions can be:
- inclusive governance strong institutional capacity and political commitments
- adequate finances
- technology and innovation
- lifestyle and behave change
- monitoring and evaluation
- attention to culture and heritage
The IPCC suggest to approach cities with a climate resilient development combines climate adaptation strategies, mitigation actions and pathways to support sustainable develop for everyone.
The report considers that current climate adaptation is often short-term and associated with specific project or discrete actions.
Adaptation expands into Climate Resilient Development when it connects to sustainable development and mitigation, take longer time horizon and involves multiple stakeholders to accelerate transformation change.
One clear example on this is given by nature based solutions that can provide resilience to multiple climate hazards, sequester carbon dioxide and enhance livelihoods reaching out multiple benefits together
Source: Summary of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) for Urban Policymakers
Cities and urban areas offers critical space to realize Climate Resilient Development by implementing adaptation and mitigation simultaneously with co-benefits for sustainable development – That’s how James Skea has concluded in his intervention.
The session has ended with the presentation of case studies done by Minna Arve, Major of Turku, Finland, Manuel de Araújo, Mayor of Quelimane, Mozambique, Jo da Silva Arup.
LINK TO DOCUMENT: https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/sites/2/2018/12/SPM-for-cities.pdf
Event Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udJfx-9frpQ
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