Scientists from around the world declare climate emergency

WORLD — More than 11,000 scientists around the world have signed a declaration stating planet Earth is facing a climate emergency, according to a new study published in the journal BioScience.

These scientists have outlined six crucial steps for us to take in order to tackle climate change.

For the first step, the scientists say that we must replace fossil fuels with clean renewables.

Next, we must cut down emissions of methane, hydrofluorocarbons and other climate pollutants. Scientists say this could reduce short-term warming trend by over 50 percent in the next few decades.

Thirdly, the scientists stated that restoring and protecting ecosystems such as forests and grasslands, would not only benefit organisms that live in these ecosystems but also naturally isolate and take in more carbon dioxide pollutants in the atmosphere.

For the fourth step, the study says we must eat more plant-based food and reduce our consumption of animal-based products. This would reduce methane emissions from animals such as cattle and free up land for growing vegetables instead of livestock.

The scientists added that we need to reduce food waste as roughly a third of all food products end up in the trash.

Next, the study says we need a carbon-free economy that focuses on our biosphere and environment instead of focusing on hitting economic goals related to GDP growth and the pursuit of wealth.

Lastly, scientists say we need to stabilize the global population to ensure social and economic justice for everyone living on this planet.

After analyzing 40 years of climate data, researchers stated that global surface temperature, sea levels, ocean acidity and ocean heat content are all steadily on the rise.