The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report released on the 28th of February reinforces the devastating impact of the climate crisis and the need for action.
In reaction to the report, United Nations (UN) Secretary General, António Guterres said: ‘[The] IPCC report is an atlas of human suffering and a damning indictment of failed climate leadership.’
‘Nearly half of humanity is living in the danger zone – now. Many ecosystems are at the point of no return – now. Unchecked carbon pollution is forcing the world’s most vulnerable on a frog march to destruction – now.’
The report outlines urgent action is required to aid almost a billion people in low-lying settlements and cities, who will be at risk from critical coastal developments.
On a wider scale, approximately 3.3 to 3.6 billion people are highly vulnerable to the effects of the climate crisis.
However, the report reiterates every populated area on Earth will see adverse changes in areas such as food production, infrastructure and overall health of inhabitants.
The UK will be subject to extreme heatwaves and flooding. Reaffirming the commitments made during the conference to solve the issues brought about by the climate crisis.
Matt Wrack, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, said: ‘We have had so many warnings now but still our politicians are not taking climate change seriously.’
‘Very soon we could be seeing devastating flooding and heatwaves on our shores, and a fire and rescue service that has seen huge cuts will find this too much to deal with.’
The next climate conference, COP27 is due to be held in Egypt later this year in Sharm El-Sheikh, where the IPCC report and outcomes from the previous Glasgow conference will be held to account.
Zitouni Ould-Dada, Deputy Director of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment, said: ‘As we approach COP27, this latest IPCC report is timely, now is the moment to act by implementing innovative solutions to tackle the climate crisis.’
Environmental organisations such as Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth have also called for further government action following the release of the report.
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