Climate change is the major, overriding environmental issue of our time, adding considerable stress to our societies and to the environment. From shifting weather patterns that threaten food production, to rising sea levels that increase the risk of catastrophic flooding, the impacts of climate change are global in scope and unprecedented in scale.
Over the years, the North American region has seen an increase in the rate and magnitude of extreme weather conditions, from rising temperatures to devastating droughts and wildfires. Without drastic action today, adapting to these impacts in the future will be more difficult and costly.
Renewables and Energy Efficiency
A majority of the global energy system is based on fossil fuels—about 60% of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions responsible for climate change. Despite the rapid rate of technological innovation and associated cost reductions, renewable energy and energy efficiency options must still compete with carbon intensive energy technologies.
UNEP supports new advances in solar, wind, geothermal, bio power, and a variety of new energy storage systems to encourage American and Canadian business and government leaders to make advances in renewables and energy savings.
