SixthAssessment Report
WORKING GROUP III – MITIGATION OF CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate Change 2022

Mitigating climate change through demand-side opportunities:
a novelty in AR6[Matt Bridgestock, Director and Architect at John Gilbert Architects]

2Sixth Assessment Report
WORKING GROUP III – MITIGATION OF CLIMATE CHANGE

Characteristics of four illustrative model pathways

3Sixth Assessment Report
WORKING GROUP III – MITIGATION OF CLIMATE CHANGE

Characteristics of four illustrative model pathways

4Sixth Assessment Report
WORKING GROUP III – MITIGATION OF CLIMATE CHANGE

Characteristics of four illustrative model pathways

SIXTH ASSESSMENT REPORT
Working Group III – Mitigation of Climate Change

There are options available now inevery sector that can at least halve
emissions by 2030
Demand and services

EnergyLand useIndustry

Urban

Buildings

Transport

SIXTH ASSESSMENT REPORT
Working Group III – Mitigation of Climate ChangeIllustrative Mitigation Pathways (IMPs) =>There are many ways to achieve net zero … with benefits and risks to each.
PRIMARY ENERGY

Negative Emissions technologies
Renewables
Low Demand

Sustainability

NegativeEmissionstechnologies

GHG EMISSIONS

Credit: Keywan Riahi (IIASA)

The
totalAssessment
emission mitigation
Sixth
Reportpotential by 2030 is sufficient to reduce global greenhouse
GROUPemissions
III – MITIGATION OF CLIMATECHANGE
gasWORKING(GHG)
to half
of the current level or lessThe
totalAssessment
emission mitigation
Sixth
Reportpotential by 2030 is sufficient to reduce global greenhouse
GROUPemissions
III – MITIGATION OF CLIMATECHANGE
gasWORKING(GHG)
to half
of the current level or less

SIXTH
Sixth ASSESSMENT
AssessmentREPORT
ReportWORKINGGroup
GROUP– MITIGATION
OF CLIMATECHANGE
WorkingIII –IIIMitigationof Climate
ChangeGranular technologies anddecentralised energy enduse, characterised bymodularity, small unit sizes
and small unit costs, diffuse
faster into markets and areassociated with fastertechnological learningbenefits, greater efficiency,
more opportunities toescape technological lockin, and greater employment

“[Matt Bridgestock, Director and Architect at John Gilbert Architects]

Demand is especially important indeveloped countries
In developed countries, mosttechnological, social, business(model) innovations are needed forrethinking and restructuring existing
urban space, repurposing,
retrofitting and reusing existing
infrastructure, vehicle stocks andequipment rather having tobuild/produce newDemand and services⎻

potential to bring down global emissions by
40-70% by 2050⎻

walking and cycling, electrified transport,
reducing air travel, and adapting houses
make large contributions⎻

lifestyle changes require systemic changes
across all of society⎻

some people require additional housing,energy and resources for human wellbeing[Bosch, Unsplash/Yoav Aziz, Adam Bartoszewicz, Victor Hernandez]

SIXTH ASSESSMENT REPORTIPCC 2022Working Group III – Mitigation of Climate Change

Individuals are important, but people alone cannot bring in change: needinfrastructure, technology access, incentives, equity

SIXTH ASSESSMENT REPORT
Working Group III – Mitigation of Climate Change

Demand and services
more efficient end-use energy
conversion can improve services while
reducing the need for upstream
energy by 45% by 2050 compared to2020
Demand-side mitigation encompasseschanges in infrastructure, end-use
technology adoption, service
provision, and socio-cultural andbehavioural change.
Lowest quartile of population requireadditional housing, nutrition, energy
and resources for human wellbeing[Bosch, Unsplash/Yoav Aziz, Adam Bartoszewicz, Victor Hernandez]

Sixth Assessment Report

Demandandservices

WORKING GROUP III – MITIGATION OF CLIMATE CHANGE[Bosch, Unsplash/Yoav Aziz, Adam Bartoszewicz, Victor Hernandez]

16Sixth Assessment Report
WORKING GROUP III – MITIGATION OF CLIMATE CHANGESIXTH ASSESSMENT REPORTWorking Group III – Mitigation of Climate Change●Demand side options improve wellbeing

SIXTH
Sixth ASSESSMENTAssessmentREPORTReport
WORKINGGroupGROUP– MITIGATION
OF CLIMATECHANGE
Working
III –IIIMitigationof Climate
ChangeConclusion







Minimising energy and material demand while keeping service levels equal orhigher is key to more flexible mitigation pathways
40 – 70% of emissions in sectors could be avoided through demand sideopportunities..
…but this requires systemic changes to enable the more sustainable choices
Demand-side opportunities are often low-cost or even have negative carbon
costs
Demand-side technologies have higher learning rates and reduce negative lockins
Demand-side mitigation options have more synergies with SDGs than supplyside ones and improve well-being

Thank you for yourattention
Diana Ürge-Vorsatz
vorsatzd@ceu.edu
www.ipcc.ch
Twitter:@DianaUrge
dr_Diana_UrgeVorsatz
Diana Ürge-Vorsatz
diana.urgevorsatz