The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change presents a "devastating outlook" for the world's environment and economy, unless action is taken to stop climate change, the WWF has warned.
In its latest report released in Brussels last Friday, the IPCC revealed that the impacts of climate change are here, now, and will only get worse.
Sea levels are already rising and if climate change continues unchecked 100 million people who live less than one metre above sea level are at risk of losing their homes and their livelihoods. In India and China people could go hungry as crops fail due to the effects of global warming.
Freshwater supply for hundreds of millions of people is at risk. But even this summary report only represents the tip of the iceberg, said WWF as it warned that the effects of climate change were already "altering the chemistry of the planet", causing the extinctions of species, and undermining economic and social development.
"Delegates wrestled to agree each word because they knew that their Heads of State are anxiously waiting for the conclusions of this important scientific conference," says Hans Verolme, Director of WWF's Global Climate Change Programme. "The urgency of this report, prepared by the world's top scientists, should be matched with an equally urgent response by governments."
He warned that global warming will bring hunger, floods and water shortages, hitting the poorest countries the most severely.
"Poor countries that bear least responsibility will suffer most - and they have no money to respond - but people should also be aware that even the richer countries risk enormous damage," he said.
"Doing nothing is not an option, on the contrary it will have disastrous consequences. The industrialised countries simply need to accept their responsibilities and start implementing the solutions," adds Verolme.
The IPCC experts state clearly that some climate change is already unavoidable but that there is still time to protect ourselves against some of the most disastrous effects. This response must come as part of a broad and rapid change of development strategies, looking to avoid significant CO2 emissions, WWF said.
"The irritating thing is that we have all the tools at hand to limit climate change and save the world from the worst impacts," says Dr Lara Hansen, Chief Scientist of WWF's Global Climate Change Programme. "The IPCC makes it clear that there is a window of opportunity but that it's closing fast. The world needs to use its collective brains to think ahead for the next ten years and work together to prevent this crisis."
"It becomes an economic as much as an ethical priority to defend what remains of nature on this planet -mangroves and coral reefs protect coasts, forests protect watersheds," adds Hansen. "Our societies are dependent upon nature, yet we have undermined it for centuries. Now, with climate change, we are attacking the very basis of the natural world - putting us all at risk."
