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IPCC climate report - live: ‘Atlas of human suffering’ shows how crisis will impact billions across world

Follow live updates as UN climate scientists publish major new report on impact of crisis

Zoe Tidman
Monday 28 February 2022 10:23 EST
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Watch live as UN releases report on impact of climate crisis

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Half of the world are highly vulnerable to the impacts of the climate crisis, according to a new landmark UN report which has been called an “atlas of human suffering”.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said global warming was “a threat to human wellbeing and planetary health” as it explored how rising temperatures are affecting communities and ecosystems, and what capacity there is to adapt.

More than 200 scientists from around the world have contributed to the latest assessment, which is considered the most authoritative look at the climate crisis and is published every seven years.

The UN secretary-general said the report showed “damning indictment of failed climate leadership”.

Key takeaways from 36-page report

The world’s leading authority on the climate crisis has released its 36-page report to the public, describing how the climate crisis is a threat to human wellbeing and the health of the planet, and calls for urgent action to secure our future.

Louise Boyle and Harry Cockburn has put together 10 of the key takeaways:

IPCC report: 10 key findings from major global climate assessment

The second chapter of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s most detailed report in seven years was published on Monday

Zoe Tidman28 February 2022 11:16

‘Stakes for our planet have never been higher’

Hoesung Lee, chair of the IPCC, tells the press conferance: “The findings are clear: the stakes for our planet have never been higher.”

He says temperatures will “continue to rise” without “much bolder action”.

Zoe Tidman28 February 2022 11:13

‘Atlas of human suffering’

António Guterres, secretary general of the UN, has told a press conference the report is “an atlas of human suffering”,

Watch live as UN releases major new report revealing scale of climate crisis
Zoe Tidman28 February 2022 11:08

What has the report found?

Half of the global population is highly vulnerable to the impacts of the climate crisis and the opportunity to secure a “liveable” future for all is fast disappearing, a major new assessment by the world’s leading scientists has warned.

‘Unequivocal’ human-caused global warming is already dangerously disrupting the natural world and some of its effects are irreversible, according to the second chapter of the sweeping report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Louise Boyle, our senior climate correspondent, has the full story on its key findings:

Billions to suffer as window for climate action closing, warns major report

Milestone assessment warns half of global population highly vulnerable as world faces ‘brief and rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure liveable and sustainable future’

Zoe Tidman28 February 2022 11:02

IPCC to run press conference at 11am GMT

The IPCC will be running a press conference at 11am GMT to coincide with the report launch.

You can watch here:

Zoe Tidman28 February 2022 10:44

What did the first chapter of this IPCC assessment say?

Today’s report is the latest installment in the IPCC’s sixth assessment report.

The first one - which laid out how humans are driving unprecedented change to our fast-warming world - was published last year.

Here is a quick recap of what this said:

10 key takeaways from the IPCC’s landmark climate report

Most detailed assessment yet from the UN’s authority on the climate crisis warns of rising weather extremes and irreversible change to ice and sea levels. Climate correspondent Daisy Dunne walks through 10 of its key findings

Zoe Tidman28 February 2022 10:25

Mental health and the climate crisis

This report is expected to mark the first time the IPCC will include the impact of the climate crisis on mental health.

You can read more on this here while waiting for its publication:

UN’s IPCC report will include impacts of climate crisis on mental health

The latest IPCC update, which won’t be finished until the end of February, will explain how climate change already affects humans and the planet

Zoe Tidman28 February 2022 10:07

Good morning and welcome to our coverage of the latest IPCC report - which is set to be published shortly.

Zoe Tidman28 February 2022 09:56

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