The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report says the effects of global warming can already be seen, and the world is “ill-prepared”.

More than 300 authors from 70 countries contributed to the study, which details the impact to date and the opportunities for effective action.

“We live in an era of man-made climate change,” Vicente Barros, Co-Chairman of the panel’s Working Group II, said.

“In many cases, we are not prepared for the climate-related risks we already face. Investments in better preparation can pay dividends both for the present and for the future.”

Some adaptation is under way, but with a stronger focus on reacting to past events than on preparing for the future.

Chris Field, another Co-Chairman of Working Group II, says governments, companies and communities are “building experience” with adaptation.

“This experience forms a starting point for bolder, more ambitious adaptations that will be important as climate and society continue to change.” However, with “high levels of warming that result from continued growth in greenhouse gas emissions, risks will be challenging to manage, and even serious, sustained investments in adaptation will face limits”.

The report says climate change has already affected agriculture, human health, ecosystems, water supplies and people’s livelihoods.

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