Drastic action needed to avoid climate change catastrophe

One of the strongest warnings yet to heavily cut carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is expected to boost global electric vehicle production and uptake.

“The IPCC report update makes sobering reading and the message is clear – act now and act quickly because increasing temperatures will have dramatic, life-changing impacts,” Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) chief executive Andrew Caseley says.

“With light vehicles accounting for 12% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions, the transition to electric propulsion is more essential than ever if New Zealand is to play its part in reducing emissions.”

Caseley says more than 10,000 registered EVs in New Zealand is “just a start” and that exponential uptake is needed.

“EECA will continue to play its part in shifting the transport sector towards a low-emission future.”

It already runs an EV information campaign and the low emissions vehicle contestable fund, which promotes innovation and investment to increase EV and other low emission vehicle uptake.

The IPCC says the world needs to cut carbon emissions about 45% by 2030 and reach net zero carbon by 2050 to be within a 1.5 degrees Celsius warming limit.

While that remains feasible, it will require “rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society”, the report says.

Either that or the world is likely to face increasingly severe events such as storms, drought and wildfires, expected to impact on food and water supplies.

Climate change minister James Shaw has been approached for comment.