IPCC report highlights urgent need for action

The IPCC’s latest report confirms the urgent need for action on climate change said WWF-NZ today.

“The latest IPCC should be a wake-up call for all of us. It is the most detailed analysis of climate science to date and shows that we need to take action now if we are to avoid the worst impacts, said WWF Head of Campaigns Peter Hardstaff.

The fifth IPCC report, released last night, confirms that climate change is happening and it is already having a negative impact, and this will only get worse if action is not taken.

The likely impacts of climate change on New Zealand include rising sea levels, increases in severity and frequency of coastal storms, more floods, landslides and droughts.

“A clean energy future for New Zealand is 100% possible. We have amazing renewable natural resources and we should be investing in them instead of fossil fuels, said Mr Hardstaff.

“Investing in renewable energies now will help tackle dangerous climate change. This change in approach will create new economic opportunities for New Zealand and will help ensure we have a sustainable future for our children and our environment.

“As a first step the New Zealand Government should cut its $46 million of fossil fuel subsidies, and look at how it can support investment in renewable energy.

“The NZ Superfund and ACC also need to divest the over $1 billion dollars of public money that they have invested in fossil fuels.

“The risk of ignoring the science is huge. The longer we delay action the more expensive addressing climate change will become. The good news is that we have most of the solutions within our grasp but what is most needed is the political will to help implement them."
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