Reaction to IPCC 6th Assessment Report from Working Group 1
A collage of typical climate and weather-related events: floods, heatwaves, drought, hurricanes, wildfires and loss of glacial ice. (Image credit: NOAA)
“Today, scientists from across the globe delivered the most up-to-date assessment of the ways in which the climate is changing. It is a sobering IPCC report that finds that human influence is, unequivocally, causing climate change, and it confirms the impacts are widespread and rapidly intensifying.
It is clear that inaction to mitigate climate change is making it worse. The impacts of climate change are being felt in every U.S. state, territory, community and sector. People are in harm’s way, infrastructure is increasingly outdated and in many places not designed for the new environmental realities, and extreme weather events continue to occur one after another. We have a narrow window of time to avoid very costly, deadly, and irreversible future climate impacts. It is the consensus of the world’s scientists that we need strong, and sustained reduction in greenhouse gases. Addressing the climate crisis is a top priority for the Biden Administration and NOAA is and will continue to support that work.
The world’s top climate researchers, including many NOAA scientists, contributed to this report, which used climate models developed by NOAA and run using NOAA’s long-term observations offsite link of our ocean and climate system, together with observations from a global community of observers. I am proud of the role of NOAA’s science and scientists, analysis, and expertise in this crucial assessment.
NOAA will use the new insights from this IPCC report to inform the work it does with communities to prepare for, respond to, and adapt to climate change. In fact, NOAA is already working directly with communities to increase their resilience to climate impacts, as we have with the recently released 2021 Climate Action Plan for the Chicago Region, which serves as a model for regional climate action. NOAA stands ready to assist communities with similar plans. Local planners, emergency managers, and policy makers have a new and urgent opportunity to apply these latest findings.
NOAA will continue to provide the best available scientific information, tools, and services on weather and climate as we work together to build a resilient nation ready to face the future.”
