Scenario A2 assumes a very heterogeneous world with a continuously increasing global population and regionally oriented economic growth that is more fragmented and slower than in scenario B1.
Scenario B1 assumes a convergent world with a global population that peaks in mid-century and declines thereafter. It assumes rapid changes in economic structures toward a service and information economy with reductions in material intensity and the introduction of clean and resource-efficient technologies.
We need to act now and have sufficient information to do so. We will need to both do more of the things that we do today and do many different things to adapt to a changing climate. We will need to pursue activities that have both development and climate co-benefits. Building the evidence base for sustained action now and in the long-term is necessary. Climate change will increase the uncertainty countries face and improved climate information for use in development decision will be a critical factor.
Projections for this century show a continued rise in temperature accompanied by changes in precipitation patterns. More frequent, severe and prolonged climate-related events such as floods and droughts are also projected. This has broad implications for many sectors, but particularly for food security, disaster preparedness, health, and water management. They will place an increasing burden on the poor. This site explores illustrative relationships between climate and development data. It shows the potential impacts of climate change through a collection of maps but most importantly, provides a series of high value datasets and map layers for download and free reuse to help decision-makers.
Explore some of these data sets and associated resources through the Climate Change Knowledge Portal.