Despite raised ambitions from political and business leaders to tackle climate change, the world is not on track to prevent catastrophic damage. Current climate pledges and net-zero targets for 2050 will not deliver the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. In fact, they are projected to lead to a temperature rise of 2.4°C above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century. Every fraction of a degree of additional warming can permanently damage many critical ecosystems and lead to the extinction of even more species.
In this report, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) highlights 12 species that are experiencing the devastating impacts of climate change, outlining how their future depends on humanity’s urgent response to the environmental crisis. The list includes mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects, birds, plants and corals – and it covers impacts across the globe.
With 2021 a critical year for climate action, world leaders must step up to deliver on ambitious targets that will put the planet on the path to recovery – protecting the health, wealth and security of future generations.