2024 Resources for Media

2024

Press release:

Press conference:

Translated press releases:

Download Insight figures

Preview of figures:

Figure 1. Annual methane emissions by source (average for the period 2010-2019) Estimated based on top-down integrative methods (top-left) and bottom-up integrative methods (top-right). Uncertainty ranges are indicated in square brackets. Data adapted from Saunois et al. (2024). Bottom: Trends 1983–2024 in global atmospheric methane (NOAA); shaded area indicates decade over which emissions sources are attributed.
Figure 2. Recent changes in aerosols, related sources, and examples of remote effects. Recent changes in aerosol amounts (difference between 2014–2023 and 2004–2013 period averages), quantified as Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD). Main sources of aerosol emissions, responsible for the observed changes. Impacts (local and remote) of changes in aerosol loading over Europe, East Asia, and South Asia are depicted in the top and bottom windows. Modified from Persad et al. (2023).Estimated based on top-down integrative methods (top-left) and bottom-up integrative methods (top-right). Uncertainty ranges are indicated in square brackets. Data adapted from Saunois et al. (2024). Bottom: Trends 1983–2024 in global atmospheric methane (NOAA); shaded area indicates decade over which emissions sources are attributed.
Figure 3. Increasing exposure to prolonged heat at different levels of global warming. Map of present heat-humidity risks to humans with inset projections of the heat-humidity changes for West Africa, as well as a plotted projection of the percentage of humanity exposed to unprecedented temperatures, both under different warming scenarios. Annual hot-hours global map (under 1.5°C warming) and West Africa and South Asia projections (under 1.5°, 2°, 3° and 4°C warming): (Vecellio et al. 2023). Bottom plot: Projection of fraction of humanity exposed to unprecedented temperatures (Lenton et al. 2023). Population (%) exposed to unprecedented heat (mean annual temperature  ≥29 °C) for the different population distributions: 6.9 billion (green), 9.5 billion (blue) and 11.1 billion (grey).
Figure 4. Direct and indirect pathways of how climate change impacts maternal and reproductive health Impacts are further amplified by socio-economic factors in a given setting. To strengthen preparedness and protect maternal and reproductive health in a changing climate, solutions must be driven by gender equity and reproductive justice.
Figure 5. Unprecedented sea surface temperature, El Niño costs, and potential weakening of AMOC (A) The mean daily sea surface temperature (SST) across the globe, collected from January 1979 to August 24, 2024 (EU Copernicus Climate Change Service). (B) Economic damages calculated as GDP change after El Niño events. The centre line indicates the mean of the projection and shading shows the 95% confidence intervals (Liu et al. 2023; Callahan and Mankin 2023). (C) The historical AMOC strength based on a combination of annually-averaged SST observations and reconstructions indicating potential AMOC tipping scenario from 2021–2200 (grey dashed) with shading of interannual variability and uncertainty.
Figure 6. Amazon’s biological and cultural diversity enhance its resilience to climate change Deforestation and forest degradation in the Amazon reduce biodiversity and amplify climate change by depleting carbon stocks, creating a self-reinforcing feedback loop. Enhancing the Amazon’s biological and cultural diversity strengthens its resilience towards climate change, helping to break this cycle.
Figure 8. Social-ecological-technological systems (SETS) approach to urban heat
Illustrated solutions to urban heat using a SETS approach (McPhearson et al. 2022) compared to conventional (one-dimensional or two-dimensional) approaches, to guide planning and integrate policies with co-benefits from positive interactions among interventions (as indicated in the top right corner).
Figure 10. Interaction factors leading to climate policy resistance or acceptance The interaction between political-economic contexts and policy designs can either lead to exclusion, injustice and vulnerability – resulting in popular resistance – or to inclusion, fairness and development – resulting in popular acceptance.
Figure 9. Addressing challenges of ETM value chain to achieve a just and equitable energy transition The ETM value chain and the challenges different stages present across environmental, social, economic and technological domains.

Video overview of the Insights:

1

Methane levels are surging. Enforceable policies for emission reductions are essential.

Read more
2

Reductions in air pollution have implications for mitigation and adaptation given complex aerosol-climate interactions.

Read more
3

Increasing heat is making more of the planet uninhabitable.

Read more
4

Climate extremes are harming maternal and reproductive well-being.

Read more
5

Concerns about El Niño-Southern Oscillation and the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation with an increasingly warm ocean.

Read more
6

Biocultural diversity can bolster the Amazon’s resilience against climate change.

Read more
7

Critical infrastructure is increasingly exposed to climate hazards, with risk of cascading disruption across interconnected networks.

Read more
8

New frameworks for climate-resilient development in cities provide decision-makers with ideas for unlocking co-benefits.

Read more
9

Closing governance gaps in the energy transition minerals global value chain is crucial for a just and equitable energy transition.

Read more
10

Public’s acceptance of (or resistance to) climate policies crucially depends on perceptions of fairness.

Read more
To top