With a new UN report providing the strongest warning yet on the catastrophic effects of climate change on people and nature, WWF calls on world leaders to deliver on their climate promises.

A new report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the UN’s climate science body, shows that the pace and scale of climate impacts are accelerating rapidly and bringing devastating consequences to people and nature.

Dr Stephen Cornelius, WWF Global Lead for IPCC, said: “Drought and searing heat, ecosystem destruction, stronger storms and massive floods, species extinction – this is not a list of scenes in an apocalyptic film. Instead, it is the content of an authoritative scientific report detailing the climate impacts that are already wreaking havoc on our planet and its people.”

The IPCC’s scientific assessment shows how some of the world’s most vulnerable communities and species are already unable to adapt to the changes that have taken place – threatening their very survival. And there are new insights into the risks of a warming world, highlighting the consequences of more losses and damage to livelihoods, food, infrastructure and nature.

The report also provides a more detailed understanding than ever before of how climate change will affect specific regions, enabling each of us to clearly see how our city, jobs and lives will be impacted in the years to come.

WORLD LEADERS MUST ACT

Crucially, the IPCC report highlights how we need more global action to tackle the climate crisis.

Last year’s UN COP26 climate summit saw global leaders fail to close the gap between the action they pledged to take and what science tells us we need to do. They must now urgently accelerate efforts to adapt to the climate change that has already happened, build resilience to climate risks, and slash greenhouse gas emissions.

Dr Cornelius added: “The silver lining to the storm clouds is that not all the most extreme impacts are inevitable. With swift action, we can limit their frequency and severity, and help people and ecosystems to adapt to some impacts. Nature can be our ally and a crucial buffer, if we choose to restore and protect it.”