Climate is changing our world faster than anyone predicted. At WWF, we believe we can fight this consequential threat and build a safer, healthier, and more resilient future for people and nature.
The dangers of climate change
Climate change poses a fundamental threat to the places, species and people's livelihoods WWF wants to protect. Sea levels are rising and oceans are becoming warmer. Larger, more intense droughts threaten crops, wildlife, and freshwater supplies. From polar bears in the Arctic to marine turtles of the coast of Africa, our planet's biodiversity and communities are at risk from the changing climate.
To adequately address this crisis we must mitigate by urgently reducing carbon pollution, and adapt by preparing for the consequences of global warming, which we are already experiencing.
Why it matters
Amazon
Climate change threatens to disrupt the Amazon’s network of water and forests that local wildlife and communities depend upon. River areas are vulnerable to changes in rainfall and warming temperatures. Drying forests are less able to stabilize soils and protect freshwater sources and crops. And as the climate changes, wildlife and plants need intact stretches of forests to transition to more suitable habitats. Urgent and immediate action is needed if we are to ensure its conservation. WWF working with communities and governments throughout the region to develop partnerships with governments, civil society, and the private sector to promote the transformational processes needed to bring about an optimistic and sustainable scenario for the Amazon.
Arctic
The Arctic’s average temperature is warming twice as fast as any other region on Earth, threatening the foundation of many Arctic ecosystems and affecting weather around the globe. What happens in the Arctic will influence the rest of our planet through impacts such as rising sea levels, changing temperature and precipitation patterns, and more severe weather events. We can help conserve this region by protecting it from offshore development, reducing pollution and accidents, and enhancing ecosystem resilience to climate change.
Oil and gas
Oil and gas drilling contributes to climate change and threatens wildlife and communities. Many of the planet’s most diverse and ecologically important areas also happen to hold large underground deposits of oil and gas—and extracting these oil and gas deposits can result in the lasting damage of them. Specifically, oil and gas exploration and development causes disruption of migratory pathways, degradation of important animal habitats, and oil spills—which can be devastating to the animals and humans who depend on these ecosystems.
Disasters
Climate change and increasingly extreme weather events have caused a surge in natural disasters over the past 50 years, with the U.S. struck with a historic number of billion-dollar disasters last year—and it’s only expected to continue growing. That’s why it’s important to adapt how we manage risk and respond to extreme events. WWF’s Environment and Disaster Management program collaborates with humanitarian nongovernmental organizations, government agencies, the United Nations, and academic institutions to integrate environmental considerations into disaster recovery, reconstruction, and risk reduction programs and policies.
Economy
American taxpayers are paying the price for weather disasters, crop failures, and higher insurance rates associated with our warming world. The good news is that America's leading businesses, along with our city and state leaders, are taking the lead on climate action. They are investing in clean renewable energy and locking in cheaper energy prices--and creating jobs, strong communities, and a more stable climate in the process.
Frontline and Disadvantaged Communities
Climate change imposes heavy burdens on those less responsible for this crisis. Frontline and fence line communities - living nearest to floodplains, shorelines, an next to industrial facilities - and disadvantaged communities - low-income communities and often communities of color - deserve to be prioritized and protected against climate hazards like extreme heat, hurricanes and storms, floods and wildfires. By demanding cuts to dangerous pollution, investing in nature-based solutions to protect our cities, providing access to green jobs, and spurring economic growth for all Americans, we can begin a fair transition to the economy of the future—one powered by clean and renewable energy. WWF recognizes and supports a whole-of-society transition towards 100% renewable energy. WWF also works with communities worldwide on environmentally responsible disaster recovery, reconstruction, and risk reduction.
Land
There is no viable global solution to the climate crisis without improving the ways we use land. We've altered entire landscapes to produce everything from food and clothing to paper and fuel. And when we slash and burn forests, drain mangroves, or plow up grasslands, we release into the atmosphere heat-trapping carbon dioxide that plants, trees, and soil once captured and stored safely in the ground. Keeping these natural storage systems intact--and restoring those that have been degraded--can help us prevent global temperatures from increasing more than 1.5ºC above historical levels, as outlined in the Paris Climate Agreement.
How WWF is taking climate actionWWF is working with governments, communities, and other stakeholders to build adaptation and resilience and drive whole-of-society climate action. Current WWF climate programs are working to:
Jason Houston / WWF-USWorking with businesses
WWF is helping companies accelerate implementation of emission reductions and scale other voluntary climate goals by providing guidance on climate leadership actions and claims.
lovelyday12Innovating for climate finance
WWF is partnering across sectors to access, combine, and sequence public and private finance for high-integrity nature-based solutions in priority landscapes and seascapes.
Jason Houston / WWF-USHelping the world adapt to climate change in harmony with nature
See how WWF is working with communities around the world to help build the adaptive capacity of those on the frontlines of climate change while prioritizing equity and nature.
Jody Macdonald / WWF-USEngaging cities, states, and the federal government on climate policy
Through extensive and inclusive partnership and engagement, WWF is working to advance climate-forward policy at the Federal and sub-national levels to support Paris Agreement alignment—across the U.S. economy and globally.
WWF / Susanna ManuAdvocating for rapid renewable energy deployment
WWF is building upon its sustainable infrastructure work to help expedite the installation of renewable energy infrastructure that brings social and economic benefits to local and frontline communities while minimizing impacts on nature.
WWF-US / Justin MottAdvancing equitable, community-centered climate solutions
WWF partners with influential climate leaders, subject matter experts and community-based organizations to integrate social, economic, and environmental co-benefits within renewable energy development, corporate sustainability practices, and industrial decarbonization strategies, prioritizing frontline and disadvantaged communities.
