Climate Stories

On Earth Day, the Biden administration took a big step forward by releasing the US national climate plan at the international Leaders Climate Summit that nearly doubles the previous administration's commitment with a pledge to cut US emissions by at least 50% from 2005 levels by 2030.

As more and more people take to the skies, scientists project that without advances in airplane efficiency and industry-wide regulations, commercial aviation emissions could triple by 2050.

In other words: As ocean temperatures rise and habitats change, will whales, sharks, rays, dolphins, turtles, and other sea creatures adapt or go extinct?

Thermal emissions are the greenhouse gases released from the processes of heating and cooling. Here are four things you need to know about them and what WWF is doing to tackle this challenge.

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.

Hazelnuts are known for the rich, distinctive flavor they lend to some of our favorite treats, like chocolate and coffee. But this wonder crop is particularly vulnerable to climate change.

Investing in open-ocean seaweed farming could help move the needle on climate change.

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.

Every fall, the Ryrkaipiy polar bear patrol, with the support of WWF Russia, works to protect the community and prevent human-wildlife conflict. Tatyana Minenko has been leading the patrol team since 2006. That’s when the climate crisis increased conflict in her village.

We Are Still In led the United States in climate action by maintaining international leadership and increasing domestic ambition.

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.

As erratic weather and droughts driven by climate change impact crops and freshwater, the world’s favorite fermented beverage could take a hit.

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.

Learn four steps to rebuild air travel in a way that protects us against dangerous climate change.

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.

In a first-of-its-kind study, the Global Futures Report calculates the economic cost of nature’s decline across 140 countries using a new economic and environmental modeling technique to assess what the macroeconomic impact would be if the world didn’t act now to protect the planet. The United States will see the losses of annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) totaling $83 billion taken from its economy each year by 2050 if the world doesn’t act urgently to address the global environmental crisis.

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.

The earth’s temperature is rising, and for decades scientists have focused on limiting the temperature increase to 1.5°C. Many reports warn that exceeding the 1.5°C limit would have irreversible impacts on people, species, and ecosystems. And now it’s now becoming evident that before the climate can stabilize at 1.5°C, it will likely overshoot it.

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.