One Planet Polar Summit: A Global Initiative for Polar Regions

In light of the accelerated climate change affecting the polar regions, where warming occurs four times faster in the Arctic and twice as fast in the Antarctic compared to the global average, France is taking a unique initiative. The inaugural ‘One Planet Polar Summit,’ a part of the ‘One Planet’ series, is scheduled to be held in Paris from November 8 to 10, shortly before COP28 in Dubai.

For the first time, scientists from over 40 polar nations will gather to discuss their findings with IPCC and IPBES experts, international institutions, NGOs, Indigenous representatives, private sector stakeholders, and political leaders from Arctic, Antarctic, and high mountain regions. The scientific forum is on November 8-9, while the political segment of country leaders hosted by the French President, will be on November 10.

WWF will be participating in the scientific forum and have joined other civil society organizations in issuing a set of recommendations urging leaders at the One Planet Polar Summit to take immediate, collaborative action to address climate change’s impact on the cryosphere. We stress the urgency of emissions reductions, ecosystem protection, respecting Indigenous rights, and scaling up scientific research to underpin climate resilient sustainable development in the Arctic and Antarctic. We call on leaders to ensure translation of this leadership into the ambition of the COP28 outcome. We also call for concrete action for the 2025 UN Ocean Conference, with support from civil society groups, to turn ideas into action. We are concerned about insufficient engagement of Indigenous Peoples in the preparations and proceedings of the Summit and call on governments and their leaders to ensure inclusive participation of Indigenous Peoples in the implementation of Summit’s outcomes and in subsequent international forums.

Cryosphere Reality: Urgent Need to Limit Warming to 1.5°C

Cryosphere research highlights alarming ice and snow loss at current temperatures, surpassing earlier projections. To prevent catastrophic consequences such as substantial sea-level rise, mountain water depletion, polar biodiversity loss, and irreversible greenhouse gas release from thawed permafrost, the global warming limit must not exceed 1.5°C by 2100. Going beyond 1.5°C triggers dangerous feedback loops, making adaptation impractical and costly. The latest IPCC reports paint a grim picture of a 2°C world, and current country pledges for emission reductions could imply even higher temperatures. Even a 1.8°C increase could result in a 6–9-meter sea-level rise, while 3°C could bring a devastating 15-meter rise by 2300. To avert these dire consequences, stabilizing greenhouse gas levels at 1.5°C is imperative.

WWF and other civil society organizations call for action to limit warming to 1.5°C in response to compelling cryosphere research

The set of recommendations focus on the call on governments to take decisive and immediate action to recalibrate their national strategies in order to limit emissions to the 1.5°C target. WWF strongly advocates for a complete cessation of new oil and gas licensing, an unequivocal halt to exploration for additional reserves, and a definitive end to any new oil and gas infrastructure projects. Setting a production cap on oil and gas should be a paramount priority, well in advance of the year 2050 and create enabling conditions for redirecting public and private capital flows toward the clean energy transition.

Additionally we call on countries for a swift ratification of the UN High Seas Treaty for marine biodiversity conservation, accelerated implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (i.a. to protect 30 per cent of land and marine areas by 2030), strengthening of Arctic shipping regulations and their oversight, support for Indigenous rights and knowledge in Arctic management, and the creation of a well-connected, equitably governed network of protected areas in the Arctic.

To safeguard the cryosphere and our planet, we must take bold steps and elevate our ambitions. The outcome of COP28 in Dubai hinges on governments making tangible, transformative commitments to accelerate decarbonization, in order to avert irreversible cryosphere changes and avoid exceeding our capacity to adapt. The One Planet Polar Summit can amplify the momentum and focus the world’s gaze on the Arctic.

For more information and a live webcast of the Summit visit this website.

 

For further information: 
Andrea Norgren | Sr. Manager Communications, WWF Global Arctic Programme | andrea.norgren@wwf.se