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Climate
Impacts and adaptation
Climate change will have pervasive and serious affects worldwide. The IPCC reports that severe weather already costs North America tens of billions of dollars annually.
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Climate is changing rapidly and its effects already are being felt. The impacts will grow and will profoundly affect us, our kids, grandkids and subsequent generations; and will affect wildlife and everything else we care about. Our challenge: to slow climate change, to reduce our vulnerability and to adapt.
In 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported the results of its fourth assessment of climate change where it devoted a volume of its assessment to climate change impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. According to the report there is “observational evidence” that many natural systems on all continents and most oceans are being affected by regional climate changes, particularly temperature increases. The effects are evident in ecoregions where WWF focuses its efforts, and if we do not address these impacts it will threaten the success of WWF's conservation mission around the world.
What can we do about it
One of the most important steps we can take to soften the impacts of climate change is to slow it down. This will improve our prospects for coping with climate change over the long term. However, climate already is changing rapidly and will continue to do so throughout the 21st century. We therefore must prepare. We need to inform ourselves and others about the potential impacts of climate change, reduce our vulnerability and ultimately take steps to adapt. Those efforts must include actions to reduce the vulnerability of ecosystems and natural resources. Some actions, such as steps to improve emergency preparedness, can be taken at the individual and household level. Others require actions by government, businesses or other organizations.
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WWF Experts
Jeff Price
Managing Director for Adaptation"Our climate is changing rapidly. Already it is altering the places where WWF works, sometimes in radical ways. Local communities are beginning to adapt, though they don’t always have the knowledge needed for informed choices."
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