As you may know, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its latest climate report on Monday. Like all of the IPCC’s reports, this was a collaborative effort between dozens of authors pulling on decades of cutting-edge research, with each line of text having to be run by every member country of the UN. Given that the full report is more than 3,500 pages, I’ll take you through the key points, and share what it means for you.

Before I dive into the details, the ultimate conclusion of this report is simple: we can’t wait any longer to take climate change seriously. Climate change is real and it's inflicting hugely negative impacts, we’re the ones responsible, and if we don’t act appropriately and immediately we will inevitably face events that will collapse global human civilization and cause a new mass extinction of life on Earth.

I made a meme to lighten the weight of that last sentence:

This isn’t new information, just perhaps the most forceful and well-evidenced presentation thus far. We’ve known this was going to happen for more than a hundred years, and have only gotten more certain as time has gone on. For a variety of reasons — most of which can safely be put in the “Worst Ideas in Human History” category — we’ve collectively decided against transitioning away from burning fossil fuels in order to avert the climate crisis. This report documents the results of that decision, and strenuously urges intentional, transformational change centered around justice and sustainability. The report comprises three main sections: let’s dive in!

Part 1: Observed and Projected Impacts and Risks

This first section is focused on understanding how exactly we got in this mess, and how much of a mess we have to look forward to at different periods in the future. The top three key points are that:

1. Not only is climate change real, it’s been caused by historical and ongoing injustices like colonialism and marginalization that have created unsustainable development patterns which have made human societies and the natural environment more vulnerable to harm. Furthermore, vulnerable people, like those who have been pushed to the margins and oppressed, and vulnerable systems like coral reefs, are being disproportionately impacted. The worst harm is coming to those that have done the least to contribute to the problem.

2. Limiting warming to 1.5°C over the coming decades would substantially limit climate impacts, but we’ve simply waited too long to avoid some level of climate crisis. And if we allow warming to increase beyond 1.5°C, even temporarily, we face much more dire consequences.

3. If we act immediately, we can still avoid the worst of climate change, but if we continue to wait, solutions will become much harder to implement.

Part 2: Adaptation Measures and Enabling Conditions

The second section highlights the inadequacy of past actions around climate change, and how it’s going to take systemic change to really protect ourselves. Here are my three big takeaways:

1. While some actions to address climate change have already been taken, progress is uneven and tends to prioritize short-term fixes that reduce the opportunity for the kinds of integrated, transformative solutions (like the Green New Deal or Electrify CA!) needed to actually address the underlying structures that have contributed to the climate crisis.

2. Unfortunately, even since the last IPCC annual report, there have been many documented instances of maladaptive climate behaviors, such as new investments in fossil fuel extraction and production.

3. A comprehensive reevaluation of how our society functions is key to removing the roadblocks to serious climate action, including political accountability, clear and appropriate institutional frameworks and policies, mobilization of resources to where they are needed most, and including marginalized voices in decision-making and governance. Remember: marginalized groups are those suffering the worst climate impacts, with the least capacity to protect themselves.

Part 3: Climate Resilient Development

The final component of this report is centered on solutions — how exactly do we get ourselves back to safety? In their discussion of climate resilience, the authors touch on the following three main topics:

1. Climate resilient development is facilitated by international cooperation and teamwork. That means governments at all levels must work with civil society, educational bodies, scientific and other institutions, media, investors and businesses to develop and implement solutions. Partnerships with traditionally marginalized groups, including women, youth, Indigenous Peoples, local communities and ethnic minorities are also key.

2. We have to effectively and equitably conserve roughly 30% to 50% of Earth’s land, freshwater, and ocean areas in order to maintain the ecosystems we depend on for survival.

3. What we do in the next decade will determine the extent to which we can be safe from climate change for the next few thousand years. If we do not rapidly decrease carbon emissions we face a quickly-depleting array of potential solutions, especially if we go past 1.5°C global warming.

To briefly re-summarize, if we don’t immediately cut carbon emissions while equitably improving our society we face certain catastrophe. So let’s get to it, shall we?

Making It Personal

So, what does taking climate change seriously actually mean for everyday people like you and me? In my experience, it means taking climate into account as you make decisions in your life, whether through your personal carbon footprint, your actions within your community, or your engagement with decision-makers. Whether it’s choosing a cleaner alternative to a personal vehicle or appliance, working to build resilience and safety networks in your town or city, and/or calling on your elected representatives to demand transformational change for an equitable and climate-safe future, there’s always a next right thing for each of us to do to help avert climate catastrophe. To quote one of my favorite modern thinkers, Professor Chidi Anagonye of The Good Place, “What do we owe each other?”

We owe it to each other to take action: please take a moment to send a message to your elected leaders here in California and encourage them to take the No Fossil Fuel Money Pledge. In order to build the political will for climate action, we must first break the relationship between fossil fuel companies and our lawmakers. Let’s get to it!