The second in a series of influential reports (https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/wg1/) from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released earlier this week described the impacts of global warming as "severe, pervasive and irreversible".
Here, Rachel McEwen, Head of Sustainability at SSE, considers the report findings...
"SSE must pay close attention to the climate science reports like those from the IPCC. Its first report said, with 95% certainty, that carbon emissions from human activity is the main cause of global warming since the 1950s. This second report looks at the impact climate change is already having and what might happen if no further action is taken to cut carbon emissions. 
SSE knows it has an important part to play in addressing climate change, at the same time as making sure energy supplies are resilient enough to cope with the severe weather that may arise.
Taking carbon out of electricity generation in an affordable way is absolutely key to mitigating the worst effects of climate change. That is why SSE is committed to reducing the carbon intensity of our electricity generation by 50%, compared to 2006, by 2020 and we are on target to achieve this. We are already the largest generator of renewable energy in the UK and Ireland, having invested over £3bn in the last seven years. We plan to retain this position by continuing to invest significantly in renewable energy for many years to come.
Transforming the energy efficiency of the UK’s homes remains crucial and there must be no dilution of that effort. The issue is not whether the costs of energy efficiency are paid, the issue is, what is the fairest distribution of those costs. SSE believes the cost of energy efficiency is more fairly paid through taxes, not through the energy bill.
And lastly, as a responsible operator of key parts of the UK’s energy infrastructure, SSE must ensure its assets are resilient enough to adapt to climate change. As the floods and storms in southern England this winter demonstrated energy companies must invest and upgrade infrastructure to prepare for ever more severe weather events. SSE’s Networks business is proposing to invest over £3.6bn in the next 10 years upgrading its network and ensuring the lights stay on whatever climate change might have in store.