Adapting to Climate Change Stories

All international climate talks begin with high hopes, and this meeting of the United Nations Climate Change Conference—known as COP27—in particular was being held up as the moment for implementation and climate justice. Instead, it appears that COP27 will be remembered as the COP of unmet expectations.

Climate Week is finally back at full force this year. Here’s what I’m looking for during this moment when the bright lights of the big city of New York are trained squarely on the climate crisis.

More than $350 billion in historic investments would set the United States on a solid path towards reaching its climate goals.

Countries have a long way to go in reducing carbon emissions to curb the worst impacts of global warming. Fortunately, climate action works, and evidence of it can be seen in the elimination of several gigatons of emissions per year.

Increases in extreme weather events are surpassing the resilience of some human and natural systems. Here’s a look at some of the takeaways from the report—and what we can do to address the climate emergency.

Laila Sanjida of Bangladesh, Pragya Motiwal of India, and Ruwanthi Jayasekara of Sri Lanka all experienced devastating floods in their home countries that inspired them to enter the field of flood management.

As the climate crisis fuels more intense disasters, environmental issues and humanitarian needs are growing increasingly intertwined. WWF's Anita van Breda takes some time to reflect on the past and look toward the future.

Living in a ger, meaning 'home' in Mongolia, and more commonly referred to as a 'yurt' in English, has grown popular in many places around the world. But its origin lies in central Asia, particularly across the steppes of Mongolia. Set up to be a portable home, the ger has been a traditional part of the life of nomadic herders here for millennia. But this way of life is threatened by the climate crisis.

A new comprehensive report by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessing the latest state of global climate science reveals that global temperatures now hover around 1.1°C above preindustrial levels and our actions have already irreversibly altered the Earth.

WWF is launching a new project to make wildlife like tapirs less vulnerable to drought during the dry season by installing and monitoring artificial water sources in Mexico’s Calakmul Biosphere Reserve through the Wildlife Adaptation Innovation Fund.

WWF received $100 million to accelerate the most promising nature-based solutions—methods that harness the power of nature to provide for communities and stabilize our climate.

If humans are unable to limit carbon pollution, Cincinnati’s average temperature could climb by as much as seven degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the century, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information. From a local grassroots movement to engagement at the national level, this city is taking the fight against the climate crisis into its own hands.

Tackling the climate crisis will be one of the biggest challenges of our time, and nature itself can contribute to the fight. 

Pilot projects implemented in Zimbabwe work to address the impact of climate change and reduce pressure on natural ecosystems, benefiting the people and land alike.

Apocalyptic scenes have multiplied in recent weeks, as fires claim lives and incinerate communities across the West Coast. The flames are fueled by a confluence of interwoven drivers, including decades of fire management practices focused on fire suppression paired with the worsening climate crisis.

Park City, Utah is the U.S. National Winner of WWF’s One Planet City Challenge in recognition of its leadership addressing the climate crisis.

Climate change-related threats to biodiversity are happening now. As habitats change, extreme weather events increase, and temperatures rise, we need new tools to help biodiversity adapt.

There are many approaches that governments can take to mitigate their climate emissions and prepare for inevitable change, but sometimes overlooked is the role nature itself can play. Nature-based solutions are ecosystem conservation, management, and restoration projects designed to address a wide range of challenges while also benefiting biodiversity and human well-being.

We can and must rethink our approach to development—what it looks like, what it’s delivering, and how it’s meeting our needs—to ensure that it's more useful for people and less harmful to wildlife.

Beginning in 1981, the coastal community was forced to move inland when it became clear that erosion, accelerated by retreating sea ice and strong storms, would one day take the town altogether.

Last year was the second hottest on record, closing out the warmest decade so far. This is the sixth consecutive year in which global temperatures were the highest on record—an unprecedented streak, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

How can we realistically cut carbon emissions and limit global warming? One key way is by pricing carbon—placing a tax on every ton of greenhouse gas emitted to make cleaner alternatives competitive.

Climate change impacts all parts of the world, and finding solutions to the challenges posed by such an immense threat will require action from every country. Annual international climate talks are key to effectively addressing the problem.