IPCC Report on Oceans is “Final Warning” to End Fossil Fuel Use Rapidly

Washington, D.C. – The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change today released a report on oceans that details immense risks from human-driven climate change to global food and water systems, and to more than a billion people in many of the world’s largest cities that could be directly threatened by rising sea levels. In response, Food & Water Action Executive Director Wenonah Hauter issued the following statement:

“From our food and water ecosystems to global weather patterns, our planet is driven by its oceans. This report tells us that due to decades of foolish reliance on fossil fuels and resulting climate warming, our oceans are on life support, which means we are all now on life support. We must treat this alarming science as a final warning: In order to avoid a fate of extreme global climate chaos and mass death at the hands of our poisoned oceans, we must act swiftly and aggressively to turn the tide now. This means a quick halt to all new fossil fuel extraction and burning, and a full-fledged commitment to establishing a completely clean, renewable energy-powered society in the next decade. We have been given a final warning. There can be no more excuses.”

Food & Water Action is the political advocacy arm of the research and education organization Food & Water Watch. We mobilize people to build political power to move bold & uncompromised solutions to the most pressing food, water and climate problems of our time.

Contact: Seth Gladstone - sgladstone[at]fwwatch[dot]org, 917.363.6615