To avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change, global warming must be restricted to no more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, as per the Paris Agreement. If we miss this target, we risk reaching climatic tipping points that will be disastrous and irreversible. Floods, fires and heatwaves will become more frequent and fiercer, sea levels will rise, crops will fail and severe droughts will force mass migration.
Devastating floods pose a severe threat to people’s lives and livelihoods. The temperature in the UK topped 40° for the first time ever in July 2022 – triggering widespread wildfires across the country.