GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE
Extreme weather events are already more intense across the globe, threatening lives and livelihoods. With further warming, some regions could become uninhabitable, as farmland turns into desert. East Africa is currently facing its fifth  rely onmarine speciesburnttemperaturesseason of failed rainsmillion peoplecannot be keptto adapt to , which the UN’s World Food Programme says has put up to 22  cannot be keptseason of failed rainsto adapt toburntmillion peopletemperaturesmarine speciesrely on at risk of severe hunger.
Extreme  million peopleseason of failed rainsrely onburntto adapt tomarine speciestemperaturescannot be kept can also increase the risk of wildfires – as seen in Europe this summer. France and Germany recorded about seven times more land  rely onseason of failed rainscannot be keptmillion peopleto adapt totemperaturesmarine speciesburnt between January and the middle of July 2022, compared with the average. In other regions, extreme rainfall is causing historic flooding – as seen recently in China, Pakistan and Nigeria. People living in developing countries are expected to suffer the most as they have fewer resources  to adapt toburntmillion peoplecannot be keptrely ontemperaturesseason of failed rainsmarine species climate change.
The planet’s oceans and its habitats are also under threat. Research published in April 2022, funded by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, suggests that between 10% and 15% of  cannot be keptmarine speciestemperaturesseason of failed rainsmillion peopleto adapt torely onburnt are already at risk of extinction.
In a warmer world, land animals will also find it harder to find the food and water they need to live. For example, polar bears could die out as the ice they  season of failed rainsrely onburntcannot be keptmillion peopletemperaturesto adapt tomarine species melts away, and elephants will struggle to find the 150-300 litres of water a day they need.
Scientists believe at least 550 species could be lost this century if action is not taken. Climate change will have different effects across the world. According to the UN climate body, if global temperature rise  season of failed rainscannot be kepttemperaturesmillion peoplemarine speciesto adapt toburntrely on within 1.5 °C:
• the UK and Europe will be vulnerable to flooding caused by extreme rainfall,
• countries in the Middle East will experience extreme heatwaves and widespread drought,
• island nations in the Pacific region could disappear under rising seas,
• many African nations are likely to suffer droughts and food shortages,
• Australia is likely to suffer extremes of heat and increases in deaths from wildfires.