Food security, water supply and the climate challenge
Human-induced climate change is driving dangerous, widespread degradation of nature and impacting billions of lives globally, even as nations strive to cut risks, the IPCC warns. Experts say stronger environmental policies and urgent, bolder action are needed because if emissions stay on their current trajectory, temperatures will keep rising beyond 2025, with projections of global warming reaching as much as 3.2 degrees Celsius by 2100, even as the 1.5 degree target remains a priority.
All of this compounds an injustice: the most vulnerable people and ecosystems suffer first and hardest. The latest UN IPCC report emphasizes that inaction carries a serious warning about consequences for wellbeing and planetary health.
Leaders note that the choices made today will shape how humans adapt and how nature responds to escalating climate risks. In the coming decades the planet will face a range of challenges, including inevitable weather hazards under a warming scenario of 1.5°C. Even brief exceedances of this level could bring additional serious effects, some of which may be irreversible, according to scientists.
Food and water security in a changing climate
Risks to societies and infrastructure, especially in low-lying coastal areas, will grow as heat waves intensify, droughts deepen, and floods become more frequent. These pressures already threaten plant and animal life and help explain the worrying declines seen among many species, including trees and corals.
Flooding from extreme weather events has repeatedly disrupted communities, while droughts and storms stress food and water systems worldwide. These cascading impacts hit hardest in regions such as Africa, parts of Asia, Central and South America, small island nations, and Arctic communities.
To prevent further loss of lives, biodiversity, and essential infrastructure, experts call for immediately ambitious measures to adapt to climate change and to achieve rapid, steep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. The IPCC stresses that progress is uneven, and gaps between actions taken and what is required to confront rising risks are widening, with low-income populations bearing a disproportionate burden.
The report reinforces that climate, biodiversity, and human systems are deeply interconnected, urging urgent action to address climate risks. It argues that half measures are no longer sufficient and highlights options to adapt while simultaneously reducing emissions, improving lives, and safeguarding ecosystems.
Restoring degraded ecosystems
Healthy ecosystems strengthen resilience to climate change and provide essential services such as food and clean water. Experts call for restoring degraded ecosystems effectively and protecting 30 to 50 percent of terrestrial, marine, and freshwater habitats to boost nature’s capacity to absorb and store carbon, while pushing for sustainable development with adequate financial and political support.
Evidence shows that climate change interacts with broader global trends such as resource depletion, rapid urbanization, social inequality, and ongoing environmental stress. The IPCC notes that mismatches between policy and needs can compound risks for communities and wildlife alike.
Scientists stress that collaboration is essential. Governments, the private sector, and civil society must work together to prioritize risk reduction, equity, and justice. Combining scientific expertise with local and indigenous knowledge will make solutions more effective, and a failure to pursue sustainable, climate-resilient development could leave both people and nature worse off.
A global challenge with local solutions
Beyond a detailed assessment of impacts, the report looks at how cities—where more than half of the world’s population lives—can respond. Infrastructure and social systems must protect health, livelihoods, energy, and mobility from heat, storms, drought, and flooding, as well as slow, gradual changes such as sea-level rise.
Rapid urbanization paired with climate change creates complex risks, especially in cities with weak governance, high poverty, unemployment, and limited services. Yet cities also offer opportunities for climate action through green buildings, reliable water supplies, renewable energy, and sustainable transport that links urban and rural areas, advancing a more inclusive and just society.
Climate change is a global problem that demands local solutions. The report provides regional insights that support climate-resilient development. Adequate funding, technology transfer, political commitment, and partnerships are key to boosting the effectiveness of adaptation and emission reductions. The scientific consensus is clear: climate change threatens human well-being and planetary health. If global action is postponed, the urgent window to secure a good future will close. This summary reflects findings from the IPCC WGII Final Draft of the AR6 report, documented by the IPCC in English as a comprehensive source for policy and action.