Climate change:P Let's not forget about saving the planet amid global doom and gloom

It’s only 100 or so days since leaders from across the world gathered in Glasgow for the United Nations climate summit COP26.

The talks took place shortly after the release of an international report on the state of the environment that was described as a “code red for humanity”.

Negotiations concluded with nearly 200 countries pledging to slash greenhouse gas emissions, “phase down” use of coal and work together to limit global temperature rise to no more than 1.5C above pre-industrial levels by the end of this century.

But a lot has been happening since November, giving us almost too much else to worry about.

The IPCC's sixth assessment report warns that climate change will affect each and every part of the planet, with impacts including increasing storms, floods, droughts and wildlfires as well as extinction of species and danger to human life -- but there is still a short timeframe left in which to act to avoid some of the worst consequences. Photo: Alvaro Barrientos/AP

On top of continuing pressures of the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve been dealing with dramatically escalating living costs, dangerous weather and uncertainty over energy supplies.

And now Russia has invaded Ukraine, bringing bloodshed and destruction to the region and raising fears of a new world war.

With all this going on, it’s hardly surprising if it seems like the issue of climate change can be put on the back burner.

But the need for action has never been more critical – or urgent.

The latest report from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), released yesterday, sets out a dire list of consequences for people and the planet and warns some impacts are already “irreversible”.

It lists a shocking combination of losses and damages to human societies and nature as the world warms, including killing people, damaging food production, destroying wildlife and reducing economic growth.

It says some of the worst effects will occur sooner, at a lower level of warming, than previously thought.

And there is nowhere and nobody on earth that will escape entirely unscathed.

But the authors of the report believe there is still a chance to guard against the worst events, with a very narrow window left to act.

IPCC co-chair Professor Debra Roberts said: “Our report clearly indicates that places where people live and work may cease to exist, that ecosystems and species that we've all grown up with and that are central to our cultures and inform our languages may disappear.

“So this is really a key moment.

“Our report points out very clearly. This is the decade of action if we are going to turn things around.”

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