COP28 (Dubai), United Arab Emirates, December 1, 2023: The provisional State of the Global Climate report from the World Meteorological Organisation confirms that 2023 is set to be the hottest year on record. This must focus the minds of world leaders and spark a dramatic course-correction in climate ambition and action, says WWF.
Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, WWF's Global Climate and Energy Lead and former COP20 President, emphasized the urgent need for global leaders to address climate change in response to the recent report. He highlighted the worldwide impact of rising temperatures, including unprecedented heatwaves, wildfires, storms, and floods. Pulgar-Vidal warned that without immediate action to reduce emissions, irreversible damage to our planet is imminent. He advocated for a significant commitment at COP28 to phase out all fossil fuels, stating that such a move is crucial to prevent increasingly frequent and severe climate catastrophes. He stressed that the time to act is now.
“The world is heating up, now we must turn the heat on world leaders to act. Around the world, people are demanding change. This year, no part of the world escaped the consequences of rising temperatures. From record-breaking heatwaves and raging wildfires to catastrophic storms and floods, the climate crisis has already been devastating lives, economies, and ecosystems, and this is just the start. If leaders do not act quickly to cut emissions, we’ll see damages to our planet that simply can’t be reversed. A commitment to phase out all fossil fuels at COP28 could be the game changer that the planet sorely needs. If we don’t act to end the age of fossil fuels, years like this will only become more common and more catastrophic. Now is the time to act,” said Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, WWF Global Climate and Energy Lead, and COP20 President.
The World Meteorological Organization's provisional State of the Global Climate report for 2023 indicates it as the warmest year on record, surpassing previous high-temperature years of 2016 and 2020. With a temperature about 1.40°C above the pre-industrial baseline, the year has seen extreme weather events causing widespread devastation. The report notes record-high levels of greenhouse gases, global temperatures, and sea level rise, with Antarctic sea ice at a record low. The effects include significant glacier melting, socio-economic impacts on food security, and population displacement.
Commenting on the crucial role of the Global Stocktake at COP28, Pulgar-Vidal said, “Together, countries must agree to a roadmap that can reset global climate ambition and action in line with limiting global warming to 1.5oC. We have no time to delay. The sooner and more decisively we act, the sooner people and nature can reap the benefits of a cleaner, safer and more stable future.”
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres had also emphasized the urgent need for action at the ongoing COP28, focusing on renewable energy and the phasing out of fossil fuels to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C. The final comprehensive report will be released in the first half of 2024.
WWF is an independent conservation organization, with over 30 million followers and a global network active in nearly 100 countries with a mission to stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment by conserving the world's biological diversity and ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable.
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