A new report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is warning that climate change is threatening ‘irreversible and dangerous impacts’ for the planet unless urgent action is taken to reduce greenhouse gases.

The report says that human influence on the climate system is clear and growing, with impacts observed on all continents and that left unchecked, climate change will increase the likelihood of severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts for people and ecosystems.

However, options are available to adapt to climate change and implementing stringent mitigations activities can ensure that the impacts of climate change remain within a manageable range.

These are among the key findings of the Synthesis Report released by the IPCC on Sunday which distils and integrates the findings of the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report produced by over 800 scientists and released over the past 13 months – the most comprehensive assessment of climate change ever undertaken. The members of the IPCC, comprising the Panel, are its 195 member governments.

The Synthesis Report confirms that climate change is being registered around the world and warming of the climate system is unequivocal. Since the 1950s many of the observed changes are unprecedented over decades to millennia. Thomas Stocker, Co-Chair of IPCC Working Group I said:

“Our assessment finds that the atmosphere and oceans have warmed, the amount of snow and ice has diminished, sea level has risen and the concentration of carbon dioxide has increased to a level unprecedented in at least the last 800,000 years.”

The scientists say that more human activity disrupts the climate, the greater the risks, with the least developed countries especially vulnerable to climate change. Continued emissions of greenhouse gases will cause further warming and long-lasting changes in all components of the climate system, increasing the likelihood of widespread and profound impacts affecting all levels of society and the natural world.

R. K. Pachauri, Chair of the IPCC said that addressing climate change will not be possible if individual agents advance their own interests independently; it can only be achieved through cooperative responses, including international cooperation.

The report says that adaptation alone is not enough and substantial and sustained reductions of greenhouse gas emissions are at the core of limiting the risks of climate change.

Delaying additional mitigation to 2030 will substantially increase the technological, economic, social and institutional challenges associated with limiting the warming over the 21st century to below 2ºC relative to pre-industrial levels, the report finds.

“It is technically feasible to transition to a low-carbon economy,” said Youba Sokona, Co-Chair of

IPCC Working Group III. “But what is lacking are appropriate policies and institutions. The longer we wait to take action, the more it will cost to adapt and mitigate climate change. Compared to the imminent risk of irreversible climate change impacts, the risks of mitigation are manageable.”

R.K Pachauri added:

“We have little time before the window of opportunity to stay within 2ºC of warming closes. To keep a good chance of staying below 2ºC, and at manageable costs, our emissions should drop by 40 to 70 percent globally between 2010 and 2050, falling to zero or below by 2100.”

The IPCC produces comprehensive assessment reports on climate change every six years or so. With the release of the Synthesis Report, the IPCC has now finalized the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5). The AR5 is the most comprehensive assessment of climate change ever undertaken. Over 830 scientists from over 80 countries were selected to form the author teams producing the report. They in turn drew on the work of over 1,000 contributing authors and over 2,000 expert reviewers. AR5 assessed over 30,000 scientific papers.

Commenting on the Report, the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Davey said:

“This is the most comprehensive, thorough and robust assessment of climate change ever produced. It sends a clear message that should be heard across the world – we must act on climate change now. It’s now up to the politicians – we must safeguard the world for future generations by striking a new climate deal in Paris next year.”

“The UK has been leading the world – and bringing the world with us. The historic agreement to cut carbon emissions in Europe by at least 40 per cent by 2030 effectively means our Climate Change Act is being replicated across Europe – just as it’s being copied in countries across the world as they seek to cap and cut their own emissions.”

Click here to download the Synthesis Report in full