The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has released its sixth assessment report, Climate Change 2022: Impact, Adaptation, and Vulnerability.
“This report is our wake-up call. We must adapt and prepare to protect our families and communities, while we also work to stop warming and avoid widespread catastrophes from threatening damage to billions of human beings,” said J. Drake Hamilton, senior director of science policy at Fresh Energy.”
One of the key takeaways from the report can be found on page 35:
“The cumulative scientific evidence is unequivocal: climate change is a threat to human well-being and planetary health. Any further delay in concerted anticipatory global action on adaptation and mitigation will miss a brief and rapidly closing window of opportunity to save a liveable and sustainable future for all (Very high confidence).”
Fresh Energy urges you to read the 36-page Summary for Policymakers for a high-level summary of the report’s key findings that delve into the observed and projected impacts and risks, current adaptation and its benefits, climate-resilient development, and more. Readers will notice that the United Nations uses the phrase “Very high confidence” in the headlines, which in this context means “this is a demonstrated fact.” This terminology applies to a high number of the statements in the report.
“As people around the world review and grasp the findings in this report, I’m confident it will influence commitments we see ahead of COP27,” said Hamilton.
The United Nations Framework on Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP27) will be hosted in Egypt in November on behalf of the African continent at Sharm El-Sheikh.
Want to learn more?
Invite J. Drake Hamilton to speak to your civic group about the global and local catastrophes climate change has and will continue to cause unless we take strong actions. Use the form at the bottom of her bio page to submit a speaking request.
