“In 2014, we must turn the greatest collective challenge facing humankind today – climate change – into the greatest opportunity for common progress towards a sustainable future.”

– United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Last fall, the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a comprehensive and authoritative report on the science of climate change. The key takeaway: Scientists are more certain than ever that climate change is real and is caused by human activities – mostly the use of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas.

Now it’s time for world leaders to listen to the science and to take responsible action to protect the air, land, and water we rely on. The cost of doing nothing is too high: If we refuse to address this threat, the environment will suffer, but so will our efforts to improve global health and development. That’s why leaders gathered at the World Economic Forum are making climate change a top issue.

The good news is we have clean energy resources and technologies in hand – and meeting the climate challenge is also an opportunity to protect the environment, grow economies, and promote sustainable development.

Get the facts on climate change and follow Climasphere on Twitter at @climasphere and on Facebook at facebook.com/Climasphere to learn more about climate issues.

Sources:

Fact 1: The US National Climatic Data Center

Fact 2: IPCC

Fact 3: IPCC

Fact 4: International Energy Agency

Fact 5: NOAA

Assets: 

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