ICLEI Oceania

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Release of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report

ICLEI Oceania

Climate change: impacts, adaptation and vulnerability

Working Group II contribution to the IPCC 6th Assessment Report report  Released on 28 Feb 2022

In the week that Australians are being impacted by the unparalleled flooding event exacerbated by climate change, the findings of the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report couldn’t feel more real and terrifying. 

The message is clear: human induced climate change is here and now, it is having devastating impacts on nature, health and security, and it is going to get worse.

BUT there is a great deal we can do about it to reduce the impacts AND local governments have a vital role to play in leading the charge, in step with urgent action at all levels of Government and across all sectors of our economy.

This report deals with the damage that climate change is already causing, and is expected to cause into the future, what this means for communities and ecosystems, and what options we have to adapt to these changes. 

This latest assessment report has been commissioned by Governments around the world to inform decision making. It clearly states that “reducing the risks would require significant and rapid emission reductions to keep global warming to 1.5-2.0°C, as well as robust and timely adaptation.”

“We have reached several universal climate tipping points and this report shows just what that means for humanity and our planet. It’s a clear message that there are limits to adaptation and that urgent action to stem emission reductions is needed right now.” Cr. Amanda Stone, Chair of the ICLEI Oceania Regional Executive Committee.

ICLEI Oceania and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy Oceania is working with champions of climate action across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific to establish meaningful partnerships between local, state and federal governments to remove barriers to action and to help Federal Governments to deliver ambitious 2030 targets at COP27 Sharm El-Sheikh as per the Glasgow Pact.

ICLEI Oceania will be continuing to share findings from this report.

ICLEI Oceania will be continuing to share findings from this report.