Here are some of the top scientific organizations globally that focus on climate change research, assessment, and policy guidance…along with some notable statements from each regarding climate change:
- 1. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
- Role: Provides comprehensive scientific assessments on climate change, its impacts, and potential response strategies.
- Statement 1: "Human activities, principally through emissions of greenhouse gases, have unequivocally caused global warming."
- Statement 2: "Climate change is a threat to human well-being and planetary health. There is a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a livable and sustainable future for all."
- 2. NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) – Climate Division
- Role: Conducts climate monitoring via satellites, studies Earth's climate systems, and provides public data and resources.
- Statement 1: "There is unequivocal evidence that Earth is warming at an unprecedented rate. Human activity is the principal cause."
- Statement 2: "Earth-orbiting satellites and new technologies have helped scientists see the big picture, collecting many different types of information about our planet and its climate all over the world."
- 3. NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
- Role: Researches atmospheric and oceanic systems, publishes climate reports, and provides data for climate modeling.
- Statement 1: "The Arctic tundra, which is experiencing warming and increased wildfire, is now emitting more carbon than it stores, which will worsen climate change impacts."
- Statement 2: "The Earth will notch its hottest year on record in 2024, breaking the previous peak set only last year."
- 4. World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
- Role: Coordinates global climate observations, weather forecasting, and early warning systems.
- Statement 1: "The report provides new estimates of the chances of crossing the global warming level of 1.5°C in the next decades, and finds that unless there are immediate, rapid, and large-scale reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, limiting warming to close to 1.5°C or even 2°C will be beyond reach."
- Statement 2: "Sea level rise threatens the future of low-lying islands whilst increasing ocean heat and acidification harms vital and vulnerable marine ecosystems."
- 5. National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)
- Role: Provides high-level climate models, research on atmospheric and environmental sciences.
- Specific quotes from NCAR were not available in the provided sources. However, NCAR is renowned for its advanced climate models and research on atmospheric and environmental sciences.
- 6. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
- Role: Supports countries in environmental sustainability, with strong focus on climate adaptation and mitigation strategies.
- Statement 1: "The world is heading towards a catastrophic temperature increase of more than 3°C above pre-industrial levels, which is double the target set by the Paris Agreement."
- Statement 2: "Despite a growing awareness, the actions undertaken remain insufficient. Greenhouse gas emissions linked to human activities increased by 1.3% between 2022 and 2023, reaching 57.1 gigatonnes of CO₂ equivalent."
- 7. Climate Action Tracker (CAT)
- Role: Tracks government climate action and measures it against Paris Agreement targets.
- Statement 1: "Current policies presently in place around the world are projected to result in about 2.7°C warming above pre-industrial levels."
- 8. International Energy Agency (IEA) – Climate Unit
- Focus: Energy-related emissions and policy strategies for decarbonization.
- Statement 1: "The world needs to focus on the critical task of reducing global carbon dioxide emissions to net zero by 2050 to give the world an even chance of limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5°C."
These statements underscore the urgent need for immediate and sustained action to mitigate climate change and its far-reaching impacts.