A much-anticipated report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) paints a bleak picture of the international action that will be required in order to stave off the worst effects of the climate crisis. 

The working group report released today is part of the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment, which is being prepared in advance of an international climate summit in November.

Food & Water Watch Policy Director Mitch Jones released the following statement: 

“This report tells us, in dramatic fashion, what we already know: Governments have failed thus far to do much of anything to address climate change. The scale of what is required only exposes the shortcomings of the policies currently proposed by the Biden administration and Congress. Our political leaders must immediately demonstrate that they are serious by working to enact policies that stop all forms of fossil fuel extraction while making massive, necessary investments in clean, renewable energy. Inadequate technologies like carbon capture and net zero accounting gimmicks are not going to cut it.

”The report makes special note of the immense damage currently being done to our climate by methane emissions, most notably from oil and gas fracking. The Biden administration could immediately show its commitment to taking this crisis seriously by halting approval for any new fracking on federal lands — a pledge made during the campaign that Biden has yet to make good on.”