The IPCC's AR6 Synthesis Report: Climate Change 2023

What the report says in short

Every country must fast-track climate efforts to ensure a “liveable and sustainable future for all”.

What is the IPCC report?

The report brings together thousands of studies to provide a complete picture of how human-caused climate change affects our planet.

It summarises three underlying reports (AR6 Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability, AR6 Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change, and AR6 Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis). Each Assessment Report takes a mere 9 years to produce…

What is the IPCC?

The IPCC is an organisation of the world’s leading climate scientists - when they talk, you need to listen.

We explain why and what they’re about in this handy explainer.

What the report says more specifically

1. Climate change is here now – the earth has already warmed by 1.1 degrees (likely to go beyond 1.5 degrees) and we're already seeing the effects
2. Every degree matters – the consequences of every degree are enormous

Image from this Financial Times article. Data sourced from the World Resource Institute.

What needs to be done to ensure a 'liveable and sustainable future for all'?

1. Deep, rapid and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions i.e. things like replacing fossil fuels with renewables
2. Greater focus on adaptation i.e. preparing for a hotter world with more extreme weather e.g. flood defence
3. An emphasis on equitable solutions i.e. ensuring those who have contributed the least to climate change don’t suffer the most (typically global south countries)
4. Scaled-up financing i.e. decide who will pay for it
5. Enhanced technology and international cooperation i.e. what it says on the tin

In sum – we need to act, the solutions exist, let’s get to it.