IPCC assessment report on climate change is final wake up call to governments and citizens

Friends of the Earth has described today’s IPCC assessment report on climate change as a “final wake up call” to governments and citizens to treat climate breakdown as the over-riding global emergency it is.

Commenting, Friends of the Earth Director, Oisín Coghlan said:

“This is a final wake up call from the world’s climate scientists. Climate breakdown is accelerating. There is still a narrow path to avoid complete catastrophe but we are not on it and the window of opportunity to get onto it is closing fast.

“What’s crystal clear now is that every time the Government faces a policy choice we need them to choose the option that reduces emissions rather than the one that raises emissions. That may sound obvious but it is all too often not what happens. We have to start treating climate action like the emergency it is.

“We know from the COVID-19 emergency that this means taking action that inconveniences business lobby groups in the short term for the benefit of the general public. We have also learned it is essential to protect incomes and provide supports so that the public and business can make the necessary changes. We have to apply the same over-riding urgency to climate action from now on.”

Read the 2-page "Headline Statements" from the IPCC

Read the 42-page Summary for Policymakers from the IPCC