Record heat, floods of the century and monster storms: the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that they could become commonplace

What seemed like something out of a dystopian science fiction film years ago has long since become reality, because floods and droughts are consequences of climate change.

Cologne – Escalating water levels, long periods of heat or small hurricanes: Germany has long since become the scene of the effects of climate change.

And according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, natural disasters will continue to intensify in the coming years.

The editors know what you can do about it.

Record heat, floods of the century and monster storms: the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that they could become commonplace

In the second part of its sixth status report on climate change, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns of the consequences and risks of man-made climate change.

In the first part of the 2021 report, the IPCC concluded that man-made greenhouse gas emissions have caused global warming by around 1.1 degrees Celsius since the years 1850 to 1900.

By 2030 we are already at 1.5 degrees more than in the pre-industrial age.

These are the effects of temperature rise:

• The sea level is rising

• Emigration from extremely endangered regions such as river beds or in particularly hot regions

• Heavy rain and flooding

• Difficult access to clean drinking water

• With two degrees of global warming, up to a fifth of all species on land could become extinct.

• Mangroves, corals and fish are also threatened

• Pests like the bark beetle have an easy time, because dried out trees are more susceptible.

According to the "IPCC", the warming hotspots such as West and Central Africa, India, Latin America, the Middle East, but also Europe and the USA are particularly affected.

As a protective measure, the Climate Council proposes concentrating on healthy ecosystems, as these are more resistant to climate change and can provide people with food and water.

Record heat, floods of the century and monster storms: Act now

In addition to the government, which implements protective measures against climate catastrophes, you too can make a contribution to a better climate.

So-called climate trees can withstand extreme weather and absorb a lot of CO₂.

Attracting and feeding birds such as jays, woodpeckers or blue tits is also a valuable contribution to climate protection, because birds are finding it increasingly difficult to find food in the wild.

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