Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, GEF CEO and Chairperson:
I feel both alarmed and emboldened by the latest IPCC report, which shows that climate change is occurring much more quickly and with more extreme effects than we previously anticipated. We will realistically see temperatures by 2030 that scientists used to think might happen by 2040 in a worst-case scenario. The tragedy of forest fires burning all over the world this year has shown us just how damaging rising temperatures can be for human life and nature. Changing this story for ourselves, our children, and our grandchildren is the most important thing we can do.
We have an opportunity to do just this through ambitious commitments at COP-26; through urgent reductions of carbon emissions across industries and sectors; and through serious efforts to protect nature and biodiversity for the health of the planet. I know that we can do this and I look forward to working with partners around the world with the IPCC science as our guiding principle focused on acting today rather than assessing tomorrow.