Climate Change
Climate change is the long-term alteration of temperature and weather patterns. Unexpected changes in weather patterns make it difficult to maintain and grow crops in regions that rely on farming because expected temperature and rainfall levels can no longer be counted on. Climate change has also been connected with other damaging weather events, such as more frequent and more intense hurricanes, typhoons, floods, downpours, and winter storms. Climate change is largely caused by human activity, primarily the burning of fossil fuels like oil, coal, and natural gas. Carbon emissions from fossil fuels, methane, and nitrous oxide, among others, are called “greenhouse gases.” When released into the Earth’s atmosphere, these gases trap heat from the sun’s rays causing Earth’s average temperature to rise. This rise in the planet's temperature is called global warming. While the climate has continually changed throughout the Earth's history, it has usually been a slow process over thousands of years. Climate change caused by human activity is occurring at a much faster and more dangerous rate.
Events and Articles
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Chile/Madrid Climate Change Conference - December 2019
Disconnects between the demands of people, science, and what the process could deliver—and between countries that want to look to the future and those focused on the past—ultimately undermined the ability for the Chile/Madrid Climate Change Conference to deliver, despite COP 25 running nearly 40 hours overtime.
Investing in Climate Change Adaptation Action through the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) – Dialogue and Pledging Session
Three donors announced new Least Developed Countries Fund contributions totaling EUR 130 million, and speakers highlighted how the LDCF is a financial mechanism that works.
UN Summits Week 2019
Inside the halls of the UN and outside on the streets of not only New York, but cities around the world where protests were held, the verdict of the people was clear: leaders are failing to address the environmental and development emergency that the world is currently facing.
NYDF 5-Year Anniversary and Leadership Event
Participants took stock of progress and challenges to date in meeting the goals of the 2014 New York Declaration on Forests, while highlighting innovative areas of action.
11th High Level Assembly of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (CCAC)
CCAC members adopted a “2030 Vision Statement” that commits Coalition members to drive and respond to scientific and political progress to achieve a stabilized climate and drastically reduce air pollution.
51st Session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC-51)
The Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC) has some alarming messages in its assessment of the latest scientific knowledge about the physical science basis for, and impacts of, climate change on ocean, coastal, polar, and mountain ecosystems, and the human communities that depend on them. It also evaluates their vulnerabilities and adaptation capacity, as well as options for achieving climate-resilient development pathways.
Latin America and Caribbean Climate Week 2019
Like other Climate Weeks held in various regions, the event is envisioned as a stepping stone to the UN 2019 Climate Summit where UN Secretary-General António Guterres has encouraged countries to announce new, more ambitious nationally determined contributions.
50th Session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC-50)
The 50th session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change adopted the Summary for Policymakers of the Special Report on Climate Change and Land (SRCCL) and accepted the underlying report. The SRCCL represents the first ever comprehensive look at the whole land-climate system, addressing land as a critical resource, desertification and land degradation, food security, and land and climate change responses. This is the first IPCC report in which most of the authors are from developing countries, with women accounting for 40% of Coordinating Lead Authors.
Bonn Climate Change Conference - June 2019
The meeting advanced work on several issues to facilitate implementation of the Paris Agreement, due for completion at the Santiago Climate Change Conference in December 2019, including Article 6, Terms of Reference for the review of the Warsaw International Mechanism on Loss and Damage, reporting tables and other issues related to the transparency framework under the Paris Agreement, and the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture.