IPCC report urges swift action to address climate change

The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) contains strong warnings that failure to prevent global warming from increasing more than 1.5 degrees Celsius will result in inevitable increases in climate hazards. The Working Group II report is the second installment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report. It assesses the impacts, adaptation capabilities, and vulnerabilities of socioeconomic and natural systems in response to climate change and highlights with increasing alarm the need to address risks resulting from human-induced climate change and the importance of understanding the intersectionality of these risks.

The report calls for solutions that span across multiple sectors to address social inequalities and differentiate responses to changing climates. The report identified numerous conditions which could enable adaptation, including political commitment; policies and frameworks with clearly stated goals; improved knowledge of impacts; deployment of financial resources; adequate monitoring; and inclusive governance processes. Additional recommendations for achieving climate-resilient development include cooperation between governments, communities, educational institutions, scientists, media, and businesses; partnerships with marginalized groups like women, Indigenous Peoples, and ethnic minorities; inclusive planning and investment in decisions about urban infrastructure; and a focus on safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystems.

The full report, technical summary, and summary for policymakers are available here.