---
title: Final UN climate report an emergency siren
description: The latest report from the UN’s IPCC says the climate crisis is rapidly altering Earth, but there are pathways to stay under 1.5 degrees.
---
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The Canopy is a weekday morning email newsletter provided by the team at Greenpeace Australia Pacific.
# Final UN climate report an emergency siren
Tuesday, 21 March 2023
**The Canopy, Tuesday 21 March **
The latest report from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says the climate crisis is rapidly altering Earth’s atmosphere, oceans, land and frozen poles, causing widespread extreme weather, including severe heatwaves and drought, catastrophic flooding and rising sea levels, but there are pathways to keep global heating under 1.5 degrees. [Greenpeace Australia Pacific](https://www.greenpeace.org.au/news/final-un-climate-report-an-emergency-siren-2/) chief executive David Ritter described the IPCC findings as a “screaming siren” and a call to action to use solutions already at hand.
The underwater world – from shipwrecks with human remains inside to First Nations sites that are tens of thousands of years old – needs better protection, a parliamentary committee has found.
And as debate continues over the government’s proposed Safeguard Mechanism, the Greens are reminding the government that Australians voted for meaningful action on climate change. The Greens want to see the inclusion of no new gas or coal projects under the policy, but Labor has ruled that out.
**Top stories:**
[We have everything we need to fix the climate crisis. But we need to do it now](https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/we-have-everything-we-need-to-fix-the-climate-crisis-but-we-need-to-do-it-now-20230320-p5cthx.html)
Humanity has a last-ditch chance to make meaningful cuts to greenhouse gases and secure a habitable future for life on Earth and our actions this decade will have profound consequences for thousands of years, says the definitive report on climate change.
[Australia must do more to protect underwater heritage, report says](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/20/australia-must-do-more-to-prevent-looting-and-destruction-of-underwater-heritage-report-says)
A treaties committee released its report on Monday afternoon, recommending Australia ratify the convention on the protection of underwater cultural heritage. Australia has about 8,000 underwater cultural heritage sites.
[Government and Greens to resume emissions wrangling](https://au.news.yahoo.com/government-greens-resume-emissions-wrangling-163145129.html)
As debate continues over an election promise to reduce emissions, the Greens and independents are reminding the Albanese government that Australians voted for meaningful action on climate change. Meantime, there are [calls to stop delaying the decision](https://au.news.yahoo.com/dont-delay-clunky-safeguard-mechanism-130505734.html), of fear a delay could make emissions reduction targets even harder to reach.
[Voters in city seats support ban on new coal and gas projects, poll shows](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/20/voters-in-city-seats-support-ban-on-new-coal-and-gas-projects-poll-shows)
The majority of voters in several metropolitan areas support stopping new coal and gas projects and believe industrial polluters should not be able to use carbon offsets for all their greenhouse gas emissions, according to new polling.
[Environs Kimberley report calls for Broome to source 80 per cent of energy from renewables](https://thewest.com.au/news/broome-advertiser/environs-kimberley-report-calls-for-broome-to-source-80-per-cent-of-energy-from-renewables-c-10094631?utm_source=csp&utm_medium=portal&utm_campaign=Meltwater&token=zhjTUQva12u3z4LivCKMlqYkFrCpA5%2B%2FChx%2Bw%2B8rbKp3djxnZt0Yv5jG1Aln9vr22Oajsb07l1KJ0MXlcW68uA%3D%3D)
Broome could generate over 80 per cent of its electricity with renewable energy at three-quarters of the price of gas-fired generation, according to a new study.
[Businesses need more advice for energy transition, says Young Henrys](https://www.afr.com/companies/manufacturing/businesses-need-more-advice-for-energy-transition-says-young-henrys-20230320-p5ctmm)
Business owners say there needs to be more input on a green energy transition from business owners, stating that while it will come with short term pain, it will be better for their bottom line.
[What price is clean air? This benefit alone will cover cost of 1.5°C climate action](https://reneweconomy.com.au/what-price-clean-air-this-benefit-alone-will-cover-cost-of-climate-action/)
The economic benefits of breathing cleaner air – free from coal plant pollution and fossil car fumes – could alone cancel out the costs of shifting to renewables and electric vehicles and other climate mitigation actions, a new report has found.
[French court orders fishing bans to protect dolphins](https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/breaking-news/french-court-orders-fishing-bans-to-protect-dolphins/news-story/78360dd2d11bda4c0ae8f045730e09f1?btr=c9aa367f748388ca18b68b4c98838e16)
Turning overseas, France's top administrative court on Monday ordered the government to ban fishing in parts of the Atlantic to protect dolphins which have washed up dead in their hundreds.
[Coal](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/coal), [gas](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/gas), [energy policy](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/energy-policy), [climate change](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/climate-change), [Oil](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/oil), [fossil fuel](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/fossil-fuel), [renewables](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/renewables), [Biodiversity](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/biodiversity), [activism](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/activism), [climate justice](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/climate-justice), [IPCC](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/ipcc)
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