Climate assessment: this decade, these 10 years, that’s the time we have

While all eyes are on Russia and Ukraine, a new climate report has also been presented in the meantime. A connection with the message: it really has to happen now.

It’s another slap on the wrist due to a lack of action. The latest IPCC report points out that 40% of the world’s population is already very vulnerable and that the blows will be felt the hardest in the countries which themselves hardly contribute to the problem. These blows are happening faster than expected, resulting in uninhabitable places and, according to the researchers, rich countries have a great responsibility to invest in climate adaptation and in supporting vulnerable (poorer) countries and regions.

Regarding nature, the report indicates that certain ecosystems are no longer able to correct themselves for global warming. And that even if we do not exceed 1.5 degrees of warming, we can expect a loss of 3 to 14% of all species. If it’s 2 degrees or even 3 degrees warmer, it could be up to 30% of all species. More than half of the scientifically studied species are already moving to cooler areas.

The next climate summit is scheduled for this fall. Then, among other things, the financial aspect is addressed. Whether rich countries should pay more for climate change to poorer countries, for example. This was set at $100 billion a year. This amount would be far too low and has not even been reached at the moment.

Even more than in the previous part of this report – which appears once every six to seven years – it underlines that time is running out. Not in the next hundred years, but this decade, these 10 years, is the time we have left, according to the researchers, to make a difference.