UNOG-NEWS IPCC Presser 28FEB2022
/
1:38
/
MP4
/
119.6 MB

Edited News | WMO

IPCC Press Conference 28 February 2022

Slate: IPCC Report Presser

Duration 01:08

Clobbered by climate change: nearly half of humanity ‘highly vulnerable’, with dramatic consequences if emission cuts are insufficient, says new IPCC report

While some four out of 10 people in the world are already living under the threat of climate change, today’s children could experience four-to five-fold increase in extreme weather events in their lifetimes, with dramatic impact on lives, health, and security, according to the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), released today.

The landmark report presents precise scenarios for the near-term (up to 2040), mid-term (2041-2060) and the long-term (2081-2100).

Hoesung Lee, Chair of the IPCC, said “Our report is a blueprint for the future of this planet. It recognizes the interdependence of climate, ecosystems, and biodiversity and people.”

The projected severity of the effects of climate change – if action is not taken immediately to limit global warming to 1.5°C compared to pre-industrial temperature – has prompted dire warnings from UN leaders.

“I have seen many scientific reports in my time, but nothing like this,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres, at the press conference launching the report. “Today’s IPCC report is an atlas of human suffering and a damning indictment of failed climate leadership. With fact upon fact, this report reveals how people and the planet are getting clobbered by climate change,” he said.

Speaking from Geneva, Petteri Taalas, the Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization, which is a co-founding organization of the IPCC, pointed out that many of the most vulnerable parts of the world are already facing great challenges.

“Global hotspots are found in parts of Africa, Southern Asia, Small Island Developing States, and Central and South America,” Prof. Taalas said. “In many of those countries, population growth, urbanization, and unsustainable development practices are boosting the exposure of people and ecosystems to climate change.”

Speaking from Nairobi, Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme, which is also a co-founder of the IPCC, underlined the special vulnerability of the world’s indigenous peoples, and how negative impacts would be felt even if the world managed to contain planetary warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius. “This is climate injustice,” Ms. Andersen said. “Even if we limit warming to 1.5 degrees, the blows will come harder and faster. As things stand, we are heading closer to 3 degrees Celsius. We are in an emergency, heading towards a disaster,” she added.

The report projects today’s children in South and Southeast Asia will be particularly exposed to losses in coastal settlements and infrastructure caused by sea level rise. It estimates that by 2050, more than a billion people living in low-lying coastal cities and settlements globally will be at risk.

As glaciers in the Andes continue to melt, South America will face increasing water scarcity, while hunger could affect up to 80 million people in 2050 if adaptation action is insufficient, with Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Central America emerging as the most severely affected regions.

One clear target for managing the situation is the world’s continued dependence on fossil fuels, with a need to shift to renewable sources of energy.

“The atmosphere today is on steroids, doped with fossil fuels,” said WMO chief Petteri Taalas.

Risks can still be reduced substantially if urgent action to limit global warming is taken and adaptation efforts scaled up. The IPCC report calls for increased investment in climate adaptation, specifically in solutions that safeguard nature and restore ecosystems. For such approaches to be successful, they need to be guided by local and indigenous knowledge, as well as scientific expertise.

“This report highlights the importance of including and using diverse forms of knowledge, such as indigenous and local knowledge,” said Hoesung Lee. The report contains several examples of innovations and adaptation measures to support nature in maintaining its equilibrium. It also highlights a solutions framework dubbed “Climate Resilient Development”, which combines adaptation and mitigation strategies and aims to involve all stakeholders, including traditionally marginalized groups, such as indigenous peoples and ethnic minorities, for more relevant, effective and inclusive action.

STORY: IPCC Press Conference 28 February 2022

TRT: 1 min 38 s

SOURCE: UNTV CH

RESTRICTIONS: NONE

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

ASPECT RATIO: 16:9

DATELINE: 28 February 2022 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

SHOTLIST

  1. Exterior wide shot, United Nations Palace of Nations, Geneva. UN flag flying.
  2. Wide shot, press room UN Geneva, podium speakers on the left with TV screen showing participants on the right.
  3. SOUNDBITE (English): Hoesung Lee, Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel Climate Change (IPCC): “Our report is a blueprint for the future of this planet. It recognizes the interdependence of climate, ecosystems, and biodiversity and people.”
  4. SOUNDBITE (English): António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations: “I have seen many scientific reports in my time, but nothing like this. Today’s IPCC report is an atlas of human suffering and a damning indictment of failed climate leadership. With fact upon fact, this report reveals how people, and the planet are getting clobbered by climate change.”
  5. SOUNDBITE (English): Petteri Taalas, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “Global hotspots are found in parts of Africa, Southern Asia, Small Island Developing States, and Central and South America. In many of those countries, population growth, urbanization, and unsustainable development practices are boosting the exposure of people and ecosystems to climate change.”
  6. SOUNDBITE (English): Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP): “This is climate injustice. Even if we limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, the blows will come harder and faster. As thing stand, we are heading closer to 3 degrees Celsius. We are in an emergency heading towards a disaster.”
  7. SOUNDBITE (English): Petteri Taalas, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “The atmosphere today is on steroids, doped with fossil fuels.”
  8. SOUNDBITE (English): Hoesung Lee, Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel Climate Change (IPCC): “This report highlights the importance of including and using diverse forms of knowledge, such as indigenous and local knowledge.”

Similar Stories

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights presents report on Sri Lanka to 60th HRC

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights presents report on Sri Lanka to 60th HRC ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday delivered his report on Sri Lanka to the 60th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

HRC 60 HC Volker Türk Global update speech

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

HRC 60 HC Volker Türk Global update speech ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday delivered his global update to the 60th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

DRC: UN report raises spectre of war crimes and crimes against humanity

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

DRC: UN report raises spectre of war crimes and crimes against humanity ENG FRA

A UN report on the Democratic Republic of Congo raises specter of war crimes and crimes against humanity in North and South Kivu, according to UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani.

Global air pollution update - WMO 04 September 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | WMO

Global air pollution update - WMO 04 September 2025 ENG FRA

As billions of people continue to breathe polluted air that causes more than 4.5 million premature deaths every year, UN climate experts on Friday highlighted how damaging microscopic smoke particles from wildfires play their part, travelling half-way across the world.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Cameroon

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Cameroon ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence made the following comment on the on-going presidential election process in Cameroon at the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva. 

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Myanmar

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Myanmar ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office released a new report on Myanmar, describing death, destruction and desperation which reflect atrocities committed in 2017. 

Afghanistan earthquake update OCHA - IFRC - UNHCR

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , IFRC , UNHCR

Afghanistan earthquake update OCHA - IFRC - UNHCR ENG FRA

Afghanistan: Humanitarians scramble to reach survivors of deadly quake; response at ‘breaking point’

In remote eastern Afghanistan, aid workers are racing to assist survivors of Sunday’s devastating earthquake as the death toll continues to climb, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.

Gaza - Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA

1

1

1

Edited News | UNRWA

Gaza - Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA ENG FRA

The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, repeated his urgent call for a ceasefire in Gaza on Friday, amid increased military Israeli activity in the enclave’s largest city.

Gaza update - OCHA WHO 29 August 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , WHO

Gaza update - OCHA WHO 29 August 2025 ENG FRA

Amid reports of increased Israeli military operations across Gaza City on Friday, UN aid agencies repeated urgent warnings of ongoing famine and a likely rise in preventable disease, linked to the dire living conditions in the war-shattered enclave.

OHCHR-Ravina Shamdasani: increasing executions in Iran

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

OHCHR-Ravina Shamdasani: increasing executions in Iran ENG FRA

UN calls for Iran to halt executions and move towards ending the death penalty.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al Kheetan on Killing of Journalists in Gaza

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al Kheetan on Killing of Journalists in Gaza ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan made the following comment on the killing of journalists in Gaza at the bi-weekly press briefing.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan on “rotation” practice by Egyptian Government

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan on “rotation” practice by Egyptian Government ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office on Tuesday called on Egyptian authorities to end the practice known as “rotation”, which allows Government critics to be held arbitrarily and for prolonged periods.