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United in Science 2024
A multi-organization compilation of the latest weather, climate, water and related environmental and social sciences for the future
With global temperatures reaching record highs and the impacts of climate change reversing development gains, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to get back on track to achieve global goals and a better world for all.
But the science is clear – we are far off track from achieving global climate goals, threatening a sustainable future for all.
Global greenhouse gas emissions rose by 1.2% from 2021 to 2022, reaching 57.4 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent...
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...and globally averaged surface concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide reached new highs.
The years from 2015 to 2023 were the nine warmest on record with 2023 being the warmest year on record by a huge margin.
Looking ahead, there is an 86% chance that at least one year in the next five years will be even warmer.
Halfway through 2024, the world has already witnessed numerous extreme weather events - from heat waves to floods and tropical cyclones.
These extreme events have devastating impacts to society and disproportionately affect the world's most vulnerable communities.
There has been progress in mitigating global GHG emissions but the emissions gap remains high and urgent mitigation action is critical.
There is only a 14% chance of limiting global warming to 1.5°C and a large possibility of global warming exceeding 2°C or even 3°C.
Ambitious adaptation action is necessary for reducing the adverse impacts of climate change, minimizing losses and damages and safeguarding sustainable development gains.
However, one out of six countries still lack a national adaptation planning instrument, and a significant adaptation finance gap remains.
However, advances in weather, climate, water and related environmental and social sciences can boost progress towards achieving a sustainable future for all.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning are revolutionizing weather forecasting...
...and can make weather modelling faster, cheaper and more accessible to lower-income countries.
Innovations in space-based Earth observations can open new frontiers...
...to improve weather forecasting, enhance understanding of our climate system and enable more robust environmental monitoring.
Immersive technologies such as digital twins, virtual reality and the metaverse, can bridge the physical and digital worlds...
...to provide immersive, interactive and data-driven solutions for land and water management in the context of compounding socioeconomic and climate change impacts.
However, global challenges cannot be addressed by science and technology alone – they require a transdisciplinary approach to co-create and implement solutions.
Transdisciplinary approaches unite diverse actors - such as scientists, policymakers, practitioners and civil society, including local and Indigenous communities - to apply natural and social sciences in local contexts.
These approaches can enhance trust in various actors and institutions and increase the resilience of local communities.
The Early Warnings for All initiative exemplifies how integrating natural and social sciences, technological advances and transdisciplinary approaches can protect lives, livelihoods and the environment from natural hazards.
AI, satellite observations and immersive technologies contribute to this initiative by enhancing weather forecasting, contextualizing and communicating information and simulating hazard scenarios...
...and transdisciplinary approaches that embrace diverse perspectives, knowledge and experiences can enhance the effectiveness of multi-hazard early warning systems.
Collaboration is essential to harness the full potential of weather, climate, water and related environmental and social sciences.
Advances in weather, climate, water and related environmental and social sciences offer huge potential to support the full achievement of global goals.
However, data gaps, limited financial resources, inadequate capacity and governance challenges limit the potential of these advances and risk exacerbating the digital divide.
Moving forward, we must enhance the quality, availability, accessibility, and interoperability of data...
...boost investments in and access to emerging science, technology and innovation...
...and scale up education, training and capacity development, particularly in developing countries...
...to ensure that the benefits of natural and social sciences, technologies and innovations are accessible to all.