WWF-UK Research centre: Climate change

Mangroves affected by climate change © WWF-Canon/A Oswell

The world is warming faster than at any time in the last 10,000 years. Urgent action is needed to avert the threat climate change poses to people, species and habitats.

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Why work on climate change?

WWF-UK's work on climate change

WWF network's work on climate change

Why climate change?
Climate change is one of the most serious threats facing the planet and human development and one which demands urgent global action.

WWF is working globally and in the UK to prevent average global temperatures from increasing by more than 2°C above pre-industrial levels - a threshold above which the risk of severe and irreversible tipping points in the climate becomes increasingly likely. While we continue to pressure governments to make meaningful cuts in heat trapping greenhouse gas emissions, we are also working on adaptation strategies to offer protection to some of the world's natural wonders as well as for the livelihoods of some of the world's poorest people.

WWF-UK
At WWF-UK, our focus is on the following:

ensuring that the UK makes a fair contribution towards the international effort to stay below 2ºC warming. It is vital that the draft UK Climate Change Bill is improved and commits to delivering a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of at least 80% by 2050. This equates to at least a 3% cut each year;

ensuring the UK government continues to play a leading role on the global stage by driving forward an effective international climate change agreement to follow the first phase of the Kyoto Protocol, which ends in 2012;

ensuring that the review of the European Emissions Trading Scheme (which puts a cap on emissions from industry) will guarantee that the scheme delivers substantial emissions reductions within Europe after 2012;

working with the major UK power companies and UK government to promote a shift in the business model towards renewables and energy services;

promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy in new housing developments;
developing and documenting an increased understanding of the range of climate change impacts supported through our work on the climate witness programme;
support for developing and disseminating community based adaptation planning;
ensuring that developed nations begin to pay there fair share of the costs of Climate change by supporting the development of institutional architecture and financing for adaptation funding;
supporting WWF programmes to adapt to the impacts of climate change and building the resilience of ecosystems and local communities to better withstand climate change impacts and
we work with a diversity of partners including local communities, governments, civil society, the media, academia and other international agencies especially on the relationship between environmental wellbeing and eliminating poverty.

For more information about WWF and our work on climate change visit wwf.org.uk/climate

As part of the newly-created HSBC Climate Partnership, WWF is to receive US$35 million to help protect four of the world's major rivers from the impacts of climate change.

UK Power Giants - Talking climate change

UK Power Giants Talking Climate Change

UK Power Giants Generating Climate Change

Climate Solutions
A major new WWF report has concluded it is still possible to save the planet from a climate change catastrophe, but that world leaders have just five years to do so.

For further information please contact:
WWF-UK
Panda House
Weyside Park
Godalming
Surrey GU7 1XR
t: 01483 426444
f: 01483 426409
e: info@wwf.org.uk