Reducing the quantity of greenhouse gases (GHGs) that humanity generates is no longer enough to fight against climate change, estimates the Quebec organization Ouranos in light of the most recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on the Evolution climate (IPCC).
“The reduction of GHG emissions remains absolutely fundamental and major and urgent to achieve, but what becomes urgent is to adapt, because the climate is changing, there are impacts, extreme events are [amplified] , whereas maybe 20 years ago, or even 10 years ago, we could still hope that the reduction would do most of the work,” says Alain Bourque.
The director general of the Quebec consortium for research on regional climatology and adaptation to climate change Ouranos notes that the IPCC now insists as much on the importance of adaptation measures as on the reduction of emissions.
“The fight against climate change, unfortunately, today, it is as much one as the other,” he said.
The IPCC report also warns against the temptation to rely on technology to reduce the amount of carbon that humanity releases into the atmosphere, underlines Alain Bourque.
Technological solutions like green hydrogen are not without value, but behavioral changes “are probably even more fundamental,” he says.
“There are a lot of people who don’t understand that, especially decision-makers, [who] are much more attracted to strategies that promise stuff in 30 years, because they won’t be held to account.” , asserts Mr. Bourque.
Developed states are under pressure to lead the decarbonization of the world because of their historical responsibility in the face of the current situation and their technological, financial and social capacities, recalls Alain Bourque.
And it’s even more true for Quebec, which must be in the lead, he believes.
“Honestly, if Quebec is not able to achieve carbon neutrality before the others, I do not see who else can succeed,” says Mr. Bourque, referring to hydroelectricity, technology and financial means. available to the province.
“We really have all the means to achieve carbon neutrality first,” he says.
