NAIROBI, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The international community should take decisive steps to reverse global warming and the accompanying threat to vital ecosystems that underpin livelihoods, a senior United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) official said on Monday.

The planet and its inhabitants are facing unusual peril unless bold actions are taken by governments, industries and communities to tame the climate crisis, UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen said.

"We must treat climate change as an immediate threat, just as we must treat the connected crises of nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste as immediate threats," she said in a statement released in Nairobi.

Monday's launch of the 6th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCCC) highlighted the urgency of charting a greener and inclusive future for humanity, Andersen said.

The 6th IPCCC assessment report, "Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis," warned that uncontrolled greenhouse gas emissions have intensified climatic shocks besides undermining growth and stability.

"Human-induced climate change is already affecting many weather and climate extremes in every region across the globe," the report said.

"Evidence of observed changes in extremes such as heatwaves, heavy precipitation, droughts and tropical cyclone in particular, their attribution to human influence has strengthened," it added.

Based on comprehensive assessment of scientific studies on climate change, the UN report said a transition to cleaner fuels, combined with sustainable production and consumption patterns, is key to taming the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.

Andersen said that bold policy choices combined with scientific evidence should inform future efforts to reduce carbon emissions and shield ecosystems from further depletion.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions will not only slow down planetary warming but also improve air quality while strengthening the resilience of habitats, she said.

Only 110 out of 191 parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) have submitted new or updated commitments to halting emissions ahead of the global climate summit to be held in the Scottish city of Glasgow from Oct. 31 to Nov. 12, Andersen noted.

She called on governments to prioritize carbon neutrality through greater adoption of renewable energy sources, restoration of degraded habitats and promotion of sustainable lifestyles. Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)