IPCC climate report - live: ‘Atlas of human suffering’ shows how crisis will impact billions across world
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Half of the world are highly vulnerable to the impacts of the climate crisis, according to a new landmark UN report which has been called an “atlas of human suffering”.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said global warming was “a threat to human wellbeing and planetary health” as it explored how rising temperatures are affecting communities and ecosystems, and what capacity there is to adapt.
More than 200 scientists from around the world have contributed to the latest assessment, which is considered the most authoritative look at the climate crisis and is published every seven years.
The UN secretary-general said the report showed “damning indictment of failed climate leadership”.
Background information on IPCC report and its authors
What is the report?
It is the second part of a global assessment of climate science by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the sixth such assessment the UN body has conducted, with the most recent one back in 2013/14.
This second report looks at the impacts of and vulnerabilities to climate change, and adaptation to global warming.
The first part, labelled a “code red for humanity” when it was published last August, examined the physical basis of climate change, and a third part will set out solutions to the crisis when it is published later this year.
Here is The Independent’s report on the first installment:
World’s 1.5C goal slipping beyond reach without urgent action, warns landmark UN climate report
‘It is clear that the next decade is going to be pivotal to securing the future of our planet,’ says UK prime minister Boris Johnson
What is the IPCC?
It is the UN body for assessing the science related to climate change. It was established in 1988 to provide political leaders with scientific assessments on climate change, to help them make policy. Some 195 countries are members of the IPCC.
How does the report work?
This latest study references more than 34,000 published papers, and has involved 270 authors from around the world, who have received tens of thousands of comments on earlier drafts from scientists and governments.
Most importantly, the 35-page summary of the report has been subject to a line-by-line approval process involving scientists and representatives of the 195 governments before it is published - which has taken place online over the last two weeks.
That means that governments have signed off on the findings.
PA
Cop26 president on report
Alok Sharma, the Cop26 president says the report is a “stark reminder of the threat climate change poses to us all”:
‘Most vulnerable are being hardest hit’ UN climate change official
Here is the head of UN Climate Change on the report:
‘Cause for hope’ in report - UN climate change body
The UN’s climate change body has released a statement with the COP26 and Cop27 presidencies UK and Egypt.
It says the report gave a “narrowing window for action” but also “cause for hope”:
ICYMI: Billions highly vulnerable to climate crisis impact, report finds
Our senior correspondent Louise Boyle has the full story on what the landmark IPCC report found.
This includes:
- Half of the global population is highly vulnerable to the impacts of the climate crisis
- The opportunity to secure a “liveable” future for all is fast disappearing
- “Unequivocal” human-caused global warming is already dangerously disrupting the natural world
- Exceeding 1.5C of warming - the ambitious target set by the Paris Agreement - will happen in the “near-term”.
More findings here:
Billions to suffer as window for climate action closing, warns major report
Milestone assessment warns half of global population highly vulnerable as world faces ‘brief and rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure liveable and sustainable future’
Path to zero-carbon future 'needs to include action on green skills’
Harriet Lamb from climate charity Ashden says: “This IPCC report underlines the need for urgent climate action, and highlights pathways to a zero-carbon future. But if we attempt that journey without action on green skills and training, in the UK and around the world, we’ll simply be wandering in circles.”
She says this means “boosting the number of renewable energy engineers, tradespeople who can create energy-efficient homes and those in other key roles.”
‘Stark warning chances of outrunning devastating impacts of climate change are uncomfortably low’ - former UK adviser
Sir David King, the chair of the Climate Crisis Advisory Group (CCAG) and former UK chief government scientific advisor, says:
“Today’s IPCC report serves as a stark warning that humanity’s chances of outrunning the devastating impacts of climate change are uncomfortably low. We commend the scientists involved in producing such critically important analysis. He adds:
“The latest IPCC report is unflinching in its assessment of the narrow range of opportunities we have left to repair the damage, and the days we squander now directly impact humanity’s chances of survival, in any form that would be recognisable to us today.”
Heatwaves and food security among key takeaways of report for Asia
My colleague Stuti Mishra has a helpful round-up of the key takeaways of the IPCC report for Asia - including on heatwaves and food security:
IPCC report: Seven key findings for Asia, from sea level rise to glacial flooding
Rising heat and humidity could drive temperatures beyond human tolerance, warn scientists
‘Climate change isn’t just a timebomb we’re setting for future generations’ - Greenpeace UK
Kate Blagojevic, the head of climate at Greenpeace UK, responds to the report:
“Climate change isn’t just a timebomb we’re setting for future generations, it can be documented right now in the lives and livelihoods lost and in irreparable damage caused to our natural world.
“Industrialised nations owe the means to take real action to those communities already staring down the barrel of this crisis.”
Russian climate official apologises for Ukraine invasion
Yesterday, a senior Russian climate scientist apologised for his country’s invasion of Ukraine at a major UN conference.
“Let me present an apology on behalf of all Russians not able to prevent this conflict,” he reportedly said.
Joe Middleton reports:
Russian official apologises for Ukraine invasion
Oleg Anisimov says he has ‘huge praise’ for Ukraine delegation at UN climate meeting
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