Monday 8th October 2018
In Islam, humankind is entrusted with the care of the Earth. Climate change is profoundly harming the Earth and some of its most vulnerable people. By taking action and calling for governments to increase their commitments, we can fulfill our responsibility to restore natural order and balance.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s latest report on containing average temperature growth within 1.5°C is published today. It shows that devastating climate impacts are here now, people are already dying, crops are already threatened, marine and land ecosystems are dying and climate change is affecting everyone.
Islamic Relief has implemented or is implementing over 50 climate adaptation projects around the world. While we continue to work alongside the most poor and vulnerable people to help them adapt and build resilience to climate challenges, the IPCC’s latest work confirms once again that we have the scientific understanding, the technological capacity and the money to tackle climate change. It is the duty of governments to use these findings to step up their climate action commitments in 2018.
The report shows that mitigation is significantly cheaper than adaptation both financially and in terms of lives lost to climate change. The Paris target of 1.5°C is hard, but achievable. Every fraction of a degree matters. Aiming for 1.5°C rather than 2°C is highly likely to be the difference between life and death for many.
Cutting the emissions that cause climate change means protecting people, our environment and our economies. Delaying action is too expensive to contemplate, as devastating climate impacts will undermine the global economy and threaten humanity itself.
ENDS