VIDEO. We summarize the new IPCC report in three points

A new IPCC report was released on Monday and for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, what emerges is unprecedented and particularly worrying. It evokes a “compendium of human suffering and proof of the criminal abdication of world leaders.” The latest IPCC report bears witness to the already visible and irreversible damage in certain regions and the inequalities between countries in the face of climate change.

Irreversible damage already observed

Gonéri Le Cozannet, author of the report, explains that 3.3 and 3.6 billion people live in contexts very vulnerable to climate change and that what previous IPCC reports predicted is true today. In particular, we can observe an increase in heat waves, extreme precipitation or a rise in sea level. Also, these heat waves have direct consequences on human health but also on the economy or biodiversity.

Inequalities between countries

Gonéri Le Cozannet notably mentions inequalities in Africa. “Climate change compromises the achievement of the objectives of limiting hunger, thus ensuring food security, ensuring access to water“, he explains. Indeed, what Africa is undergoing, Europe, for example, is not undergoing. He also mentions the areas subject to excessive heat which will no longer allow living there.

Solutions ?

“By 2050, we will have 2.5 billion additional inhabitants in cities, which means that we have an opportunity because we will have needs in terms of construction in cities, urban planning, and this urban planning, we can do it in such a way that we are adapted to climate change“, believes Gonéri Le Cozannet. For example, limiting urban heat islands by focusing on more vegetation is one of the solutions. Also, this can go through systems to facilitate the evacuation of rainwater as is already the case. It is also recommended to facilitate access to “soft” transport to avoid traveling by car and thus limit greenhouse gas emissions.