Effects of Climate Change Stories

With climate change driving more extreme heat events in Australia, species across the country are at heightened risk. Flying foxes, in particular, can suffer fatal heat stress when temperatures climb to over 108 degrees, an occurrence growing more and more common across the country. But a successful trial of a system of atmospheric cooling sprinklers has given hope to researchers working to protect this vulnerable species.

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.

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.

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

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.

A new WWF report details a vibrant diversity of plants and vertebrate animals in Southeast Asia that have never been scientifically identified.

The Arctic Refuge has been a place undisturbed by development. But in 2017 Congress approved opening the Coastal Plain of the Refuge to allow for oil and gas drilling. WWF has been vocal in its opposition for a host of reasons, and there is one significant bit of logic even Fish and Wildlife agrees with—the climate crisis makes the future of the region uncertain. Oil and gas development only compounds the problem.

Australia’s bushfire crisis was one of the worst wildlife disasters in modern history. New WWF research reveals that the toll on wildlife was around three times higher than an earlier study estimated.

As flames engulfed parts of the world last year, WWF sent emergency support to help local firefighters and communities in need.

Sharks and rays are some of the most enigmatic and misunderstood creatures of the ocean. They are crucial for the health of our planet. This blog describes five incredible ways in which sharks and rays help the world, from fighting climate change to digging through sand for their neighbors to feeding phytoplankton.

Cities generate 70% of global carbon emissions. But around the world, cities are making changes to ensure a greener future.

Madagascar is home to remarkable, unique biodiversity. Unfortunately, threats to the island’s flora and fauna abound. Without strong conservation strategies, several species could be lost for good.

As global average temperatures rise, parts of Bangladesh are experiencing severe, unprecedented flooding. A photographer shares a glimpse of what life looks like on the front lines of climate change.

In the aftermath of Australia’s devastating bushfires, WWF deployed field detection dogs to help locate surviving wildlife. During five days of searches in January 2020, the dogs found 10 koalas.

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.

The latest survey assessing the population of monarch butterflies that winter in Mexico indicates a population decrease of 53% since the previous season. In the 2019-2020 wintering season, the area of forest occupied by monarch butterflies was 7 acres, down from 15 acres in the 2018 - 2019 season.

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.

There is no question that the climate crisis is here right now. But there is good news: every day we see more individuals, organizations, businesses, and governments responding to the crisis.