Latest UN Climate Report
Written by Pooran Desai OBE
With so much to keep up with, we’ve extracted ten key points from the latest United Nations climate assessment report (Working Group II of the Six Assessment Report, or AR6) released last week.
- The rise in weather and climate extremes has led to some irreversible impacts
- Approximately 3.3 to 3.6 billion people are highly vulnerable to climate change
- Losses and damages caused by climate change can be reduced but cannot be eliminated
- Beyond 2040 and depending on the level of global warming, climate change will lead to numerous risks to natural and human systems
- With increasing global warming, losses and damages will increase and additional human and natural systems will reach adaptation limits
- Worldwide climate resilient development action is more urgent than previously assessed
- Climate resilient development is enabled when governments, civil society and the private sector make inclusive development choices that prioritise risk reduction, equity and justice
- Climate resilient development is facilitated by international cooperation and by governments at all levels working with communities, civil society, educational bodies, scientific and other institutions, media, investors and businesses
- Climate resilient development can be enhanced by working in partnerships with traditionally marginalised groups, including women, youth, Indigenous Peoples, local communities and ethnic minorities.
- Maintaining the resilience of biodiversity and ecosystem services at a global scale requires conservation of approximately 30% to 50% of Earth’s land, freshwater and ocean areas.
You can read the full report or various summaries here.