Statement of Kaveh Guilanpour

Vice President for International Strategies, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions

March 20, 2023

On the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) AR6 Synthesis Report:

“The latest report of the IPCC tells us in the clearest and most unambiguous language yet what we need to do to combat and avoid catastrophic climate change. Staying within the 1.5 degrees Celsius limit of the Paris Agreement is still possible. Whether or not we do so is a choice for humanity—and, in particular, the world’s largest polluting countries and companies.

“Fossil fuels are by far the greatest cause of global warming. Later this year COP28 must make a clear commitment to phase out all fossil fuels—including oil and gas. COP28 must also send clear signals of commitment to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions in key sectors, including energy, industry, transport, buildings, and land use. The global stocktake under the Paris Agreement provides a clear opportunity to set out how exactly this can be done.”