1.Introduction

2.Emergent Findings

2.1. Recent Regional Climate Changes, particularly Temperature Increases, have Already A ffected Many Physical and Biological Systems
2.2. There are Preliminary Indications that Some Human Systems have been Affected by Recent Increases in Floods and Droughts
2.3. Natural Systems are Vulnerable to Climate Change, and Some will be Irreversibly Damaged
2.4. Many Human Systems are Sensitive to Climate Change, and Some are Vulnerable
2.5. Projected Changes in Climate Extremes could have Major Consequences
2.6. The Potential for Large-Scale and Possibly Irreversible Impacts Poses Risks that have yet to be Reliably Quantified
2.7. Adaptation is a Necessary Strategy at All Scales to Complement Climate Change Mitigation Effort
2.8. Those with the Least Resources have the Least Capacity to Adapt and are the Most Vulnerable
2.9. Adaptation, Sustainable Development, and Enhancement of Equity can be Mutually Reinforcing

3. Effects on and Vulnerability of Natural and Human Systems

3.1. Hydrology and Water Resources
3.2. Agriculture and Food Security
3.3. Terrestrial and Freshwater Ecosystems
3.4. Coastal Zones and Marine Ecosystems
3.5. Human Health
3.6. Human Settlements, Energy, and Industry
3.7. Insurance and Other Financial Services

4. Vulnerability Varies across Regions

5. Improving Assessments of Impacts, Vulnerabilities, and Adaptation

This summary, approved in detail at the Sixth Session of IPCC Working Group II (Geneva, Switzerland 13-16 February 2001), represents the formally agreed statement of the IPCC concerning the sensitivity, adaptive capacity, and vulnerability of natural and human systems to climate change, and the potential consequences of climate change.

Based on a draft prepared by:
Q.K. Ahmad, Oleg Anisimov, Nigel Arnell, Sandra Brown, Ian Burton, Max Campos, Osvaldo Canziani, Timothy Carter, Stewart J. Cohen, Paul Desanker, William Easterling, B. Blair Fitzharris, Donald Forbes, Habiba Gitay, Andrew Githeko, Patrick Gonzalez, Duane Gubler, Sujata Gupta, Andrew Haines, Hideo Harasawa, Jarle Inge Holten, Bubu Pateh Jallow, Roger Jones, Zbigniew Kundzewicz, Murari Lal, Emilio Lebre La Rovere, Neil Leary, Rik Leemans, Chunzhen Liu, Chris Magadza, Martin Manning, Luis Jose Mata, James McCarthy, Roger McLean, Anthony McMichael, Kathleen Miller, Evan Mills, M. Monirul Qader Mirza, Daniel Murdiyarso, Leonard Nurse, Camille Parmesan, Martin Parry, Jonathan Patz, Michel Petit, Olga Pilifosova, Barrie Pittock, Jeff Price, Terry Root, Cynthia Rosenzweig, Jose Sarukhan, John Schellnhuber, Stephen Schneider, Robert Scholes, Michael Scott, Graham Sem, Barry Smit, Joel Smith, Brent Sohngen, Alla Tsyban, Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, Pier Vellinga, Richard Warrick, Tom Wilbanks, Alistair Woodward, David Wratt, and many reviewers.

IPCC Homepage