Climate action is more urgent than ever – and we know what to do

The author asserts that despite recent agreements to curb aviation pollution and phase out hydrofluorocarbons, the world is on track for a 3C temperature rise over 50 years, which would make many poor countries, particularly in Africa, uninhabitable. The text calls for countries at COP22 to revise their Paris pledges upwards to limit warming to under 2C and to finalize the roadmap for providing $100 billion annually in climate finance by 2020. It highlights Africa's double vulnerability—feeling the effects of warming despite low contributions to it—and argues that the continent requires more support for adaptation, capacity building, and compensation for "loss and damage" than it currently receives.

• Current climate pledges are insufficient; if implemented, the world is projected to experience an average temperature increase of approximately 3C over the next 50 years, potentially rendering much of Africa and other poor nations uninhabitable.
• African nations face a unique 'double vulnerability' because they are among the first to experience global warming's effects despite contributing very little to the cause, while simultaneously lacking the necessary finance, technology, and capacity to adapt.
• To meet the Paris goal of limiting warming to less than 2C, countries must turn pledges into immediate action, revise targets upwards, and ensure the delivery of $100 billion per year in climate finance by 2020.
• Africa requires a specific support model that prioritizes adaptation and compensation for "loss and damage" over other measures, alongside urgent needs for finance and capacity building.
• Recent data from the World Meteorological Organization indicates that global average CO2 levels have exceeded 400 parts per million for the first time in 3 million years, a period characterized by temperatures 3C higher and sea levels up to 3 metres higher than today.

APA

Camdessus, M. (2016). Climate action is more urgent than ever – and we know what to do. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/climate-action-is-more-urgent-than-ever-and-we-know-what-to-do/

Chicago

Camdessus, Michel. Climate action is more urgent than ever – and we know what to do. World Economic Forum, 2016. https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/climate-action-is-more-urgent-than-ever-and-we-know-what-to-do/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Camdessus |first1=Michel |title=Climate action is more urgent than ever – and we know what to do |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=11 November 2016 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/climate-action-is-more-urgent-than-ever-and-we-know-what-to-do/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{camdessus2016climate, author = {Camdessus, Michel}, title = {{Climate action is more urgent than ever – and we know what to do}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2016}, month = nov, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/climate-action-is-more-urgent-than-ever-and-we-know-what-to-do/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }