Scientists from more than 150 countries have officially declared a ‘ climate emergency ’ – just hours after Donald Trump started the process to leave the Paris Climate Agreement.
The scientists, led by William Ripple and Christopher Wolf from Oregon State University , claim that ‘untold human suffering’ is unavoidable unless vast changes are made.
Mr Ripple said: “Despite 40 years of major global negotiations, we have continued to conduct business as usual and have failed to address this crisis.
“Climate change has arrived and is accelerating faster than many scientists expected.”
In their study, the researchers, along with more than 11,000 scientists, declare a climate emergency and point to six key areas in which immediate action is needed – energy, short-lived pollutants, nature, food, economy and population.
In the study, published in Bioscience, the researchers write: “Mitigating and adapting to climate change while honouring the diversity of humans entails major transformations in the ways our global society functions and interacts with natural ecosystems.
“We are encouraged by a recent surge of concern. Governmental bodies are making climate emergency declarations. Schoolchildren are striking. Ecocide lawsuits are proceeding in the courts. Grassroots citizen movements are demanding change, and many countries, states and provinces, cities, and businesses are responding.
“As an Alliance of World Scientists, we stand ready to assist decision makers in a just transition to a sustainable and equitable future.”
Their warning comes just hours after the Trump administration started the process of withdrawing from the Paris Agreement – an international agreement which aims to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.
While the US has been part of the treaty since 2016, it now claims that the deal puts an ‘unfair economic burden’ on Americans.
Trump himself has also previously claimed that he ‘doesn’t believe’ in climate change, despite huge amounts of scientific research that support it.
Mr Ripple added: “Global surface temperature, ocean heat content, extreme weather and its costs, sea level, ocean acidity, and area burned in the United States are all rising.
“Globally, ice is rapidly disappearing as demonstrated by decreases in minimum summer Arctic sea ice, Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, and glacier thickness.
"All of these rapid changes highlight the urgent need for action."
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