Global warming, reaching 1.5°C in the near-term, would cause unavoidable increases in multiple climate hazards and present multiple risks to ecosystems and humans (very high confidence). Near-term actions that limit global warming to close to 1.5°C would substantially reduce projected losses and damages related to climate change in human systems and ecosystems, compared to higher warming levels, but cannot eliminate them all (very high confidence)
(source: Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability)
Climate change is here and now and it’s not going away. It is the biggest challenge to our communities and therefore our work. It causes poorer health and drives greater inequality in our communities, placing increasing strain on the health and care system. We therefore need a risk management approach to limit our exposure. What is more, in delivering care we are contributing to climate change, so it is beholden upon us to both mitigate and adapt for climate change.
Great work is being done but there is much more to do to achieve net carbon zero by 2038 and adapt our system to increase resilience and minimise vulnerability to climate harms. The Doughnut Economic Model is a way to ensure that we assess the trade-offs of our decisions. Our colleaguescome largely from the communities we serve, and those communities are increasingly concerned about climate impacts. They expect leadership and action. It is everyone’s responsibility to act on climate change.