Leehi Yona on the climate change panel’s recent report: a message of hope and a call to action

Leehi Yona, our 2018 scholar researching climate change policy-making, published an op-ed in the Montreal Gazette regarding a new report released on October 8th by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The panel of experts addressed the heavy consequences of global warming above 1.5°C compared to pre-industrial levels. It also indicates that “preventing an extra single degree of heat could make a life-or-death difference in the next few decades for multitudes of people and ecosystems” (Montreal Gazette).

For Leehi, while the IPCC’s overall assessment is alarming in many regards, it nonetheless conveys a message of hope and empowerment by teaching us that we are capable of acting now to limit global warming and protect our communities. Stopping the burning of fossil fuels is a key step is this regard and that involves giving up any new fossil fuel infrastructure projects, Leehi writes.