During 2019 the EHA Weekly Climate Briefs kept track of various concrete and policy steps after the publication on October 8, 2018 of  “Global Warming of 1.5°C, an IPCC special report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty.”

According to the Latest UN Emission Gap report GHG emissions have risen at a rate of 1.5 per cent per year in the last decade. Total GHG emissions, including from land-use change, reached a record high of 55.3 GtCO2e in 2018. This will mean that  in 2030, annual emissions need to be 15 GtCO2e lower than current unconditional NDCs imply for the 2°C goal, and 32 GtCO2e lower for the 1.5°C goal.

A new decade a new target, but 30 – 30 – 30 for  resp. Emissions, Renewables and Efficiency will not be ebough to help the Paris Climate Goals : 50- 50-50 would sound too much like “give it 50 -50 chance” and might not be taken seriously.

For a full decade all policy papers of virtually all Europe’s industry sectors have referred to their efforts to acheive the 20-20-20 goals. They are now left standing as the Green Deal communication did not elaborate much if and how the 20-20-20 targets have effectively been achieved.

The Hydrogen industry sector has communicated a lofty 25% of global energy demand by 2050 to be covered by hydrogen. What will this mean for 2030 in Europe? 280 H2 ships on the Rhine? 10.000 FC trucks on TEN T corridors? A steel industry in full transition to the use of green hydrogen?

Meanwhile in the US the new year started with a triple weather threat on January 10, 2020 formore than 20% of its population (see photo):

And in Japan, car companies are starting to build cities by 205020502050205020502050…..