Report

United In Science 2021: A multi-organization high-level compilation of the latest climate science information

16 September 2021
United in Science 2021 report cover

This report has been compiled by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on behalf of the United Nations Secretary-General to bring together the latest climate science related updates from a group of key global partner organizations: WMO, Global Carbon Project (GCP), Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), World Health Organization (WHO), the Met Office (United Kingdom, UK) and the jointly sponsored WMO/Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO/International Science Council (ISC) and World Climate Research Programme (WCRP).

The scale of recent changes across the climate system as a whole are unprecedented over many centuries to many thousands of years. Even with ambitious action to slow greenhouse gas emissions, sea levels will continue to rise and threaten low-lying islands and coastal populations throughout the world, according to the report.

 

“This is a critical year for climate action. This report by the United Nations and global scientific partner organizations provides a holistic assessment of the most recent climate science. The result is an alarming appraisal of just how far off course we are,” said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

https://youtu.be/Eli0crdZUxg

The content of each chapter is attributable to each respective entity. The chapters are as follows:

  • Greenhouse Gas Concentrations in the Atmosphere – WMO Global Atmosphere Watch
  • Global GHG Emissions and Budgets – GCP
  • Global Climate in 2017–2021 – WMO
  • Highlights of AR6: The Physical Science Basis – IPCC
  • Heatwaves, Wildfires, and Air Pollution: Compounding and Cascading Climate Hazards to Health – WHO/WMO
  • Sea-level Rise and Coastal Impacts – WCRP (WMO/IOC/ISC)
  • Global Climate in 2021–2025 – WMO Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update – Met Office/WMO/WCRP
  • Emissions Gap – UNEP