23 July 2024

Press Release

For immediate release

The Climate Games: The world records we don’t want to break

Ahead of the Paris Olympics, WWF is highlighting the climate records being shattered that the world doesn’t want to break, and calling for countries to fight climate change and act for the planet.
2023 marked the hottest year on record for the planet as countless countries, including the UK, broke national temperature and extreme weather records.

23 July 2024: The Olympics is all about pushing the limits of what humans can achieve and breaking new world records. On the eve of the Games, WWF warns in a stark video that the climate records recently shattered around the world are not records that nations want to break. Record temperatures, nature loss and melting ice all signal a threat to the planet.

2023 marked the hottest year on record for the planet, with the last two years in the UK also being the hottest ever recorded. Countless other national temperature and extreme weather records have been broken, including:

New heat records in China, Thailand, Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Oman, Peru and more
The longest tropical cyclone on record in Mozambique (African Record)
The largest wildfire on record in the EU in Greece (European Record)
Warmest Autumn in history in France
Wettest July ever in Northern Pakistan
Over 3,900 wildfires in the Pantanal in Brazil

Temperatures have remained high into 2024, with June being the 12th consecutive month of global temperatures reaching 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

Just as the Games are about to get going, researchers from the University of Portsmouth are warning that intense heat at the Paris Olympics could endanger athletes at the Games. The Rings of Fire report suggests that Paris has the potential to surpass the record temperatures athletes experienced in the last games in Tokyo.

WWF-UK is already working with businesses and the new UK Government to unlock and accelerate the transition to net zero and close the gap on the UK’s climate commitments. This collaboration is vital to accelerating the transition, delivering real benefits not only for the environment but also by lowering energy bills and unlocking jobs and growth.

Isabella O’Dowd, WWF-UK’s Head of Climate Policy, said: “This record-breaking year has delivered a stark and clear warning from the planet about the direction we’re heading in. But we all have the power to change that.

“As we come together to cheer on our athletes to break records at the Olympics, it’s important to remember the power of our collective voice, which we can use to call on the new UK Government to show real leadership, especially at this year’s climate and nature summits.

“If we act now for climate and nature, we can unlock benefits for people, the economy and the planet and avert intensifying heatwaves, wildfires, floods and droughts that cause increasing harm to communities and nature.”

WWF-UK is working in partnership with ScottishPower to advocate for policies that help people to install clean heating and energy efficiency measures, enabling cosier homes and lower bills. Recent wins have included the previous UK Government allocating an extra £1.5 billion to help people install heat pumps and introducing a new scheme to help insulate homes.

WWF-UK has also been a key part of the ‘Warm This Winter’ campaign, calling on the Government to support households through the cost-of-energy crisis, turbocharge deployment of cheap, clean British energy, and move away from relying on expensive, polluting oil and gas. The campaign unites a coalition of anti-poverty and environmental charities and has successfully called for an extended windfall tax on oil and gas companies and an Ofgem review of standing charges in energy bills.

Following the encouraging decision to enable onshore windfarms, the new UK Government has also committed to introduce a Net Zero Test on all government spending, helping to assess if the UK is on track for its climate and nature commitments – a key WWF-UK ask. WWF-UK will continue to work with the new Government to make sure this is delivered and unlock the economic opportunities.

Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, WWF Global Climate and Energy Lead, said: “At the Olympics, humans will show what incredible efforts can achieve. Now we need our leaders to show similar determination and resolve as these sporting champions and put climate and nature on a path to recovery.”

“Changing the game is possible. We have the solutions, we just need to accelerate them. Last year, we saw record growth in renewable energy generation. We now need to see this record broken year-on-year, as well as new positive climate action milestones in areas such as energy efficiency, industry decarbonisation, nature conservation and restoration, building resilience to extreme weather, and climate finance for developing countries.

“Every government around the world is required to set out ambitious new national climate plans ahead of COP30 in Brazil next year. This is an unmissable opportunity for countries to commit to game changing climate and nature action. Our living planet requires nothing less than a gold medal effort.”

As athletes and spectators come together for the Olympics, WWF hopes that using this opportunity to also shine a spotlight on the climate can help inspire leaders and people around the world to take the critical action needed to stabilise the climate and reverse nature loss.

People in the UK can also help to fight climate change by joining the thousands of others who have already signed the petition to show the UK Government that the public want urgent action on climate and nature – Stop the destruction of nature | WWF

ENDS

For further information please contact:

George Mitchell | Media Manager at WWF

T: +44 (0) 1483 412324 | E: GMitchell@wwf.org.uk

Out of hours contact:

T: +44 (0) 7500 577620 | E: press@wwf.org.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS

Download WWF campaign video here

Download imagery here

CLIMATE FACTS

With no further action to cut emissions, global warming is estimated to be around 2.7°C by the end of the century.
Approximately 3.3 - 3.6 billion people live in places that are highly vulnerable to climate change.
In 2021, nearly 200 (197) countries signed the Glasgow Climate Pact. A global agreement to accelerate action on climate over the coming decade. Key agreements include:
1. New zero emissions targets by 153 countries, however these commitments would still mean a disastrous 2.4°C of warming. But countries must come back in 2022 with stronger pledges and plans for action.
2. 137 countries, representing 91% of the world’s forests, committed to end deforestation by 2030.
3. Large firms in the UK finance sector must show plans on how they will hit their climate targets, including ensuring any investments will contribute towards achieving net zero.
In 2015, 196 countries (together with the EU) adopted the Paris Agreement on climate change, agreeing to pursue efforts to limit global temperature rises to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
Pledges made by governments to date to tackle climate change are estimated to lead to a temperature rise of 2.4°C by the end of the century.
If global warming is limited to 1.5° C it would have benefits for sustainable development and poverty reduction.
The Climate Change Act commits the UK government by law to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 100% (net zero) from 1990 levels by 2050.
The sixth carbon budget, set in 2021, requires that UK emissions are cut by 78% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels.

About WWF:

WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) is a global environmental charity, and we’re bringing our world back to life. With nature in freefall, we’re urgently tackling the underlying causes that are driving the decline – especially the food system and climate change. And we’re finding solutions so future generations have a world with thriving habitats and wildlife.

It’s a huge challenge, but there is hope. We’re working globally with governments, companies, communities and others who have the will to act and the power to transform our world. We’re using our ground-breaking scientific research, our global influence, and the backing of our many supporters to make sure the natural world’s vital signs are recovering by 2030. WWF. Bringing our world back to life.

WWF. Bringing our world back to life.

Find out more about our work, past and present at wwf.org.uk