What does the science say?
The climate crisis isn’t a future threat – it's already devastating people and nature in the UK and around the world, with the vulnerable suffering most.
- Our world has warmed by approximately 1.1C since 1970 – and around 1.4C since the 1850s.[1]
- In 2024, our world got hotter than ever before, temporarily going beyond the 1.5C climate threshold for the first time. [2]
- At 2°C of global warming, heat extremes would more often reach tipping points for long-term damage to nature, agriculture and human health.
- Thankfully, there is hope. Together we can stop the destruction of nature, secure a safer climate, and bring our world back to life.
Climate and nature
Right now, we’re witnessing the widespread destruction of nature, which is decimating species and their habitats and making the climate crisis even worse.
- Global wildlife populations have declined, on average, by 73% since 1970.
- Global food production is responsible for 70% of biodiversity losses on land, 50% of freshwater biodiversity losses and roughly produces 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions.[3], [4], [5]
- From puffins to bluebells, bumblebees and mountain hares, UK wildlife is already feeling the heat – and struggling to adapt.
- There’s not a moment to lose. Together we can stop the destruction of nature, secure a safer climate, and bring our world back to life.
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More Bumblebees
Bumblebees are extremely susceptible to overheating, having thick fuzzy coats adapted for cold, their bodies generate heat when flying. They are struggling to adapt to the warming world.
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© WWF-UKMore Bluebells
Warming temperatures mean bluebells are becoming out of sync with the seasons. Large parts of the country are likely to become inhospitable for the species.
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© Wild Wonders of Europe / O. Haarberg / naturepl.comMore Puffins
Rising sea temperatures are putting marine food chains at risk. Atlantic puffins quickly run out of food for their growing chicks during nesting season.
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© Ola Jennersten / WWF-SwedenMore Mountain hares
Mountain hares have white coats to protect them through snowy winters. But the warmer climate means less snow, and their survival technique no longer works.
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We need action from our leaders
The UK Government promised – and put into law – that we would stop increasing greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere by 2050. This is crucial if we are to ensure a more stable climate and a safer future for people, for nature and the economy.
But we can only make the fast, large-scale changes to do this if politicians pull their finger out. Because things aren’t going to plan and the UK Government is woefully off track to meet its climate and nature promises.
The extreme weather that we are seeing here and abroad is getting worse because of climate change. We must take these warning signs seriously. That’s why we are urgently calling for a simple new law – the Living Planet Act. This will mean the UK Government has to take ‘joined-up’ action to stop climate collapse, look after nature, and make sure everyone has better access to healthy, affordable food. Now and in the future.
What WWF is doing
- WWF is working with government and business leaders to stop the destruction of nature, secure a safer climate and bring our world back to life.
- WWF is working to align government and business investment to meet our climate and nature goals.
- We're working to protect the public from high energy and food costs caused by dirty fossil fuels and extreme weather.
- We're working with farmers and government to improve how we use land that meets climate, nature and food requirements.
How you can help
Campaign for nature with WWF
Donate to the Climate Recovery Fund
Become a member
Ways to help our world on a budget in 2025
Sources
[1] State of the climate: 2025 on track to be second or third warmest year on record - Carbon Brief
[2] Climate Change Service, Copernicus: 2024 is the first year to exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial level https://climate.copernicus.eu/copernicus-2024-first-year-exceed-15degc-above-pre-industrial-level
[3] WWF (2020) Living Planet Report 2020 - Bending the curve of biodiversity loss. Almond, R.E.A., Grooten M. and Petersen, T. (Eds). WWF, Gland, Switzerland. Figure 15: The environmental impacts of food production Sources: Adapted from CBD (2014), GSDR (2019) and ELD Initiative (2015)
[4] Mbow, C., C. Rosenzweig, L.G. Barioni, T.G. Benton, M. Herrero, M. Krishnapillai, E. Liwenga, P. Pradhan, M.G. Rivera-Ferre, T. Sapkota, F.N. Tubiello, Y. Xu, 2019: Food Security. In: Climate Change and Land: an IPCC special report on climate change, desertification, land degradation, sustainable land management, food security, and greenhouse gas fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems.
[5] Crippa, M., Solazzo, E., Guizzardi, D. et al. Food systems are responsible for a third of global anthropogenic GHG emissions. Nat Food 2, 198–209 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-021-00225-9