Climate change worsening, but we have the means to act

Climate change impacts are larger, more rapid and worse than previous estimates, but humanity has the means to tackle the problem, say leading authors from The Australian National University (ANU) of the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The new report provides the most comprehensive overview of climate change across the globe, and is the definitive stocktake of the IPCC's work over the past seven years. Professor Mark Howden and Professor Frank Jotzo are among three Australians who have played a leading role in the new report. Professor Howden said the IPCC Synthesis Report left no doubt that climate change poses a clear and present danger to people and to natural systems. "The latest IPCC report triggers many alarm bells that we cannot afford to ignore," Professor Howden said. "It makes it crystal clear that climate change has rapidly altered the atmosphere, oceans, land and ice-covered areas. This has generated more severe extreme weather events and widespread negative impacts on lives, livelihoods and natural systems.