WASHINGTON — The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released the Working Group II (WGII) portion of its Fifth Assessment Report on climate change, to which the World Resources Institute has responded, according to a press release.
The report focuses on the current and future impacts of climate change and outlines the benefits of reducing emissions and options regarding climate adaptation, noted the release, representing the most comprehensive assessment of climate science to date and the product of more than 800 authors from around the world.
Dr. Andrew Steer, president and CEO, World Resources Institute (WRI) said in a statement: “Climate change is not some distant threat, it’s happening now and being felt everywhere. The warning signals went off long ago, and we are now suffering the consequences of our inaction.
“Around the globe, we’re seeing how climate change is driving increased water risks, massive wildfires and rising seas. Unless we change direction, climate change will significantly reduce water resources, especially in subtropical regions. It will exacerbate health problems, including through heat waves and disease. It will destroy forests that are important for economic activity, biodiversity, and carbon storage. And it will decimate crops and interrupt food supplies necessary to feed the world’s growing population."
Read the full release and the rest of Steer's statement here.
