World at a crossroad on climate action

As negotiators prepare for the 24th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Katowice, Poland, the world is at an existential crossroad: it can continue on a path of gradual, but insufficient, progress on climate change, or shift to high gear to avoid the worst effects of rising global temperatures.

Fortunately, our understanding of the economic benefits of climate action is greater than ever. The world must wake up to seize these opportunities or face rising consequences of inaction. Decisions we take today will make the difference to the generations to come.

We know from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's special report, released last month, that the window to keep the world temperature from rising above 1.5 degrees Celsius is closing. We need major, immediate transformation across economic sectors, including how we generate and use energy, how we plan and live in cities, how we produce and consume food, and how we use and protect forests. We know that every additional fraction of a degree of warming can have a negative impact on economic growth, prosperity and quality of life.