Urgent action needed following call from IPCC to adapt and build resilience to climate risks
UN report outlines stark reality of current and future climate impacts—but taking the right actions now could still change our path, says WWF-Canada
(28 February 2022) – WWF-Canada calls on world leaders to deliver on their climate promises and heed the alarm bells raised by today’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, which included the starkest warning yet on the catastrophic effects humanity and the natural world could face from climate change.
The report, Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability, shows that the pace and scale of climate impacts is accelerating rapidly, bringing devastating consequences and outpacing current actions to address them. This acceleration has been evident in Canada, where increasingly frequent and severe fires and floods have wreaked havoc on ecosystems and communities
But there is still an opportunity to avoid the worst impacts on nature and people — it starts with countries drastically slashing emissions from fossil fuels while also investing in resilience for ecosystems and communities. Nature-based climate solutions, such as protecting and restoring ecosystems that absorb and store carbon and water, can help do both.
In reaction to this report, Simon J. Mitchell, Vice President Resilient Habitats at WWF-Canada said:
Because of the changing climate, Canadians have experienced increased frequency and intensity of floods, droughts, fires, and storms, bringing significant negative impacts for wildlife, habitats, people and communities. As overwhelming as these impacts are, and as worrisome as predictions for the future can be, there is still much we can do to reduce climate impacts in a way that helps ecosystems and communities adapt.
Alongside decarbonization, nature is our ally and can be crucial buffer if we restore and steward it properly. Increasing investments and actions by governments, businesses, financial institutions and communities in building resilience while cutting emissions will give us a fighting chance to adapt to the changes currently underway and those to come.
Notes for editors:
- The IPCC Working Group II report – Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability Summary for Policymakers – will be released on 28 February 2022 at 12pm CET. The press conference will be streamed live on the IPCC’s YouTube channel.
- The IPCC is the UN body for assessing the science related to climate change. It provides political leaders with periodic scientific assessments concerning climate change, its implications and risks, as well as to put forward adaptation and mitigation strategies.
- The Working Group II report is the second of four parts of the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report (AR6). The Working Group I report (physical science of climate change) was released in August 2021, while the Working Group III report (mitigation of climate change) will be released in April 2022. The Synthesis Report which brings together information from all three working group reports will be released in October 2022.
About WWF-Canada
WWF-Canada is committed to equitable and effective conservation actions that restore nature, reverse wildlife loss and fight climate change. We draw on scientific analysis and Indigenous guidance to ensure all our efforts connect to a single goal: a future where wildlife, nature and people thrive. For more information visit wwf.ca.
For more information or interviews contact
Rebecca Spring, Senior communications manager, WWF-Canada, [email protected]
