The year 2016 made history, with a record global temperature, exceptionally low sea ice, and unabated sea level rise and ocean heat, according to the World Meteorological Organization. The only good news is that WDCD is about to mobilize the worldwide creative community to see what design can do for climate change.
On the first day of spring the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) issued its annual statement on the State of the Global Climate. It is based on multiple international datasets maintained independently by global climate analysis centres and information submitted by dozens of WMO Members National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and Research Institutes and is an authoritative source of reference.
‘This report confirms that the year 2016 was the warmest on record – a remarkable 1.1 °C above the pre-industrial period, which is 0.06 °C above the previous record set in 2015. This increase in global temperature is consistent with other changes occurring in the climate system,’ WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas commented.
Human influence is evident
‘Globally averaged sea surface temperatures were also the warmest on record, global sea levels continued to rise, and Arctic sea-ice extent was well below average for most of the year,’ Taalas added. ‘With levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere consistently breaking new records, the influence of human activities on the climate system has become more and more evident.’
Director of WMO’s Climate Research Programme David Carlson expressed his deep concern: ‘We are seeing remarkable changes across the planet that are challenging the limits of our understanding of the climate system. We are now in truly uncharted territory.’ The WMO has no doubt at all that the warming of the earth is caused by human activity.
Sunny side
There may be one sunny side to grim picture. WDCD just launched its programme for WDCD Live Amsterdam 2017 and along with our new challenge it will be all about climate change. WDCD wants to mobilize the worldwide creative community to use all of its experience and imagination to think of ways to help us curb climate change and adapt to the changes that already are inevitable.
‘Instead of worrying about the problem, we are going to attack this challenge with all the creative energy and inventiveness we can bring together at WDCD,’ says Richard van der Laken, co-founder and creative director of WDCD. ‘Just like we did with the Refugee Challenge, we will bring positive energy into the discussion about a ghastly issue.’
The WMO statement makes clear why the climate issue has to be priority number one of us all. Make sure you are part of WDCD’s gathering of smart and creative minds at WDCD Live Amsterdam on 23 & 24 May to see what we as creative community can add to the discussion.
Top image from the WMO statement