CODE
RED
*By restoring degraded ecosystems and effectively and equitably conserving 30 to 50 per cent of Earth’s land, freshwater and ocean habitats, society can benefit from nature’s capacity to absorb and store carbon.3
* Different interests, values and world views can be reconciled. By bringing together scientific and technological know-how as well as Indigenous and local knowledge, solutions will be more effective. Failure to achieve climate resilience and sustainable development will result in a suboptimal future for people and nature.4
IV. Cities: Hotspots of impacts and risks, but also a crucial part of the solution
* People’s health, lives and livelihoods, as well as property and critical infrastructure, including energy and transportation systems, are being increasingly adversely affected by hazards from heatwaves, storms, drought and flooding as well as slow-onset changes, including sea level rise.
* Growing urbanization and climate change create complex risks, especially for those cities that already experience poorly planned urban growth, high levels of poverty and unemployment, and a lack of basic services.
* But cities also provide opportunities for climate action – green buildings, reliable supplies of clean water and renewable energy, and sustainable transport systems that connect urban and rural areas can all lead to a more inclusive, fairer society.
* There is increasing evidence of adaptation that has caused unintended consequences, for example destroying nature, putting peoples’ lives at risk or increasing greenhouse gas emissions. This can be avoided by involving everyone in planning, attention to equity and justice, and drawing on Indigenous and local knowledge.
V. A Narrowing Window for Action
* Climate Resilient Development is already challenging at current warming levels. It will become more limited if global warming exceeds 1.5°C (2.7°F). In some regions it will be impossible if global warming exceeds 2°C (3.6°F).
* This key finding underlines the urgency for climate action, focusing on equity and justice.
* Adequate funding, technology transfer, political commitment and partnership lead to more effective climate change adaptation and emissions reductions.
Summary
Hans-Otto Pörtner, IPCC Working Group II Co-Chair, summed up the report in the following way:
“The scientific evidence is unequivocal: climate change is a threat to human wellbeing and the health of the planet. Any further delay in concerted global action will miss a brief and rapidly closing window to secure a liveable future.”5
Footnotes
1 Press Release. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 28 February 2022. https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2022/02/PR_WGII_AR6_english.pdf
2 Retrieved from: https://www.ipcc.ch/2022/02/28/pr-wgii-ar6/
3 IPCC Working Group II Co-Chair Hans-Otto Pörtner
4 IPCC Working Group II Co-Chair Debra Roberts.
5 IPCC Working Group II Co-Chair Hans-Otto Pörtner
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