Explained: What Is A Climate Clock, How Does It Work And Why Is It Important?

The clocks are timekeeper. A ticking clock in sight always brings a sense of dynamism and encourages action. A climate clock is a clock that shows us the time left for climate correction of a certain level.?

Climate is not changing, it has already changed and it is changing faster than ever. The CO2 emissions are rising, global warming is increasing which is causing acceleration in climate change.?

Climate has already changed

Climate change has moved from the abstract realms of rising sea levels, ozone depletion and pollution to having tangible impacts on everyday lives. A ticking climate clock should bring each individual, organizations and countries a sense of urgency in taking Actions for Climate Correction.

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The clock is ticking

Global warming refers to the rise average surface temperature of the Earth above what it used to be during pre-industrial era or a reference time zone. And, the Climate Clock shows time left before the planet touches a given global warming temperature.?

There are two important timelines concerning climate change; 1.5oC and 2oC. At 1.5oC climate change will start to become irreversible and by 2oC of global warming, it will become almost irreversible. Though climate change is accelerating and experienced by everyone, the awareness about its severity is far less. Moreover, the sense that time is running out for corrective action is known to even lesser populations.?

The 1.5oC climate shows how much time is left before we touch the global warming of 1.5oC above normal and the 2oC climate shows how much time is left before we touch the global warming of 2oC above normal.

Global warming is caused by greenhouse gases, mostly CO2 due to higher quantities of emission. The CO2 concentration (in general greenhouse gasses, written as CO2eq (equivalent)) in the atmosphere and global warming is correlated. More CO2 level means higher global warming. Scientists have estimated the carbon budget or permissible emission of CO2 for a given global warming.?

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Climate clock

In 2018, the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) published a Special Report, quantifying the remaining global carbon budget for keeping global warming below 1.5?C and 2oC. For the beginning of 2020, this was about 400 billion tons and 1150 billions of CO2? respectively for 1.5?C and 2oC. This carbon budget gives 67% probability of staying below the 1.5?C and 2oC global warming levels.?

The time left shown by the climate clock is determined by two factors;?

(1) how much is the carbon budget to reach out a given global warming temperature,?

(2) what is the current rate of CO2 emission or more correctly greenhouse gas emission.?

The current annual rate of carbon emission is about 43 billion tons. Using IPCC WG1 approach, dividing the carbon budget of 280 billion tons from the start of 2023, for 1.5 oC with the rate of emission, we get approximate time left, which is displayed by the climate clock. As on 11th April, 2023, the time left shown by 1.5oC climate clock is 6 years and 102 days only.?

Similarly the time shown by the climate clock for 2oC of global warming is 24 years and 19 days.?

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We don't have much time?

As per the climateclock.word, the 1.5oC is the most important number for humans living on this planet. Considering this, there is not much time left for climate correction is not much. We are running out of time.?

Humanity comes together for a day of action and to forge partnerships for the protection of our natural wealth, to engage for a pollution-free planet, and to ensure Earth's climate is conducive to the continued existence of humans in our common home.

Climate change is not caused by any one government or any one organization. Every user of energy and material, all across the planet, directly and indirectly contributes to the CO2 emissions and hence contributes to climate change. Therefore, everyone has to take part in climate change correction.?

Climate clock to create awareness?

The Energy Swaraj Foundation has come up with many programs to bring awareness to the masses about climate change and encourage them to take action for climate correction. The organization of the world's largest climate clock assembly and display event on 22nd April, on the occasion of Mother Earth Day is one such event. Organizations from all sectors including academic, media, corporate, government bodies, spiritual organizations are invited to take part. Refer to es-pal.org for more details.

This article is published in association with Energy Swaraj Foundation as part of our Climate Action series. Chetan Singh Solanki is a Professor at the Department of Energy Science and Engineering at Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay and the founder of Energy Swaraj Foundation. All views/opinions expressed in the article are of the author.?