The New U.N. Climate Report Has Arrived. Don't Panic.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a behemoth report on our warming world—something it has done routinely for three decades. Though the findings have evolved considerably over the years, the news cycle is always strikingly similar: World leaders offer bombastic soundbites, and headlines warn of impending doom. In turn, many people will interpret this report as a stark warning that humans are joy-riding down the highway to hell.

As a climate scientist of two decades, I do not share this view. Certainly, there is cause for deep concern. Today’s report confirms that humanity is on track to blow past 1.5°C (2.7°F) of planetary warming by the early 2030s. With each additional half-degree, the risk of deadly heat waves and flooding will increase substantially—and the effects are already manifesting on every continent. This is an existential crisis, and our actions today will dictate what happens tomorrow.