Global Civil Society & the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Climate Action


Every person, in every country in every continent will be impacted in some shape or form by climate change. There is a climate cataclysm looming, and we are underprepared for what this could mean.

Climate change is caused by human activities and threatens life on earth as we know it. With rising greenhouse gas emissions, climate change is occurring at rates much faster than anticipated. Its impacts can be devastating and include extreme and changing weather patterns and rising sea levels.

If left unchecked, climate change will undo a lot of the development progress made over the past years. It will also provoke mass migrations that will lead to instability and wars.

To limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre- industrial levels, emissions must already be decreasing and need to be cut by almost half by 2030, just seven years away. But, we are drastically off track from this target.

Urgent and transformative going beyond mere plans and promises are crucial. It requires raising ambition, covering entire economies and moving towards climate-resilient development, while outlining a clear path to achieve net-zero emissions. Immediate measures are necessary to avoid catastrophic consequences and secure a sustainable future for generations to come.

Name Acronym Founded City HQ Country/Territory HQ Type I Type II

Voluntary Service Overseas

VSO 1958 Kingston upon Thames UK G

Walk21 Foundation

Walk21 2000 Cheltenham UK F f

Walking Tree Travel

Denver CO USA G e

Waste Free Oceans

WFO Brussels Belgium F

Watch & Jewellery Initiative 2030

WJI 2030 2022 Geneva Switzerland F

Water and Development Information for Arid Lands Global Network

G-WADI 2004 Paris France F y

Water Center for the Humid Tropics of Latin America and the Caribbean

1992 Panama Panama E g

Water Europe

WE 2004 Brussels Belgium E y

We Mean Business

Washington DC USA J y

We Move Europe

WeMove.EU Berlin Germany F

Weather Risk Management Association

WRMA 1999 St Paul MN USA C

WEC International

WEC 1913 Coventry UK F v

WeForest

2008 Brussels Belgium F

Weltnotwerk der KAB

Cologne Germany G

West Africa Centre for Peace Foundation

WACPF 2008 Accra Ghana G f

West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use

WASCAL Accra Ghana D g

West African Women's Association

WAWA 1984 Dakar Senegal E

West Asia Regional Network on Climate Change

WARN-CC 2010 J

Wetlands International

1995 Wageningen Netherlands B

WHO Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities

GNAFCC 2010 Geneva Switzerland F y

WHO Radiation Emergency Medical Preparedness and Assistance Network

WHO/REMPAN Geneva Switzerland F

Wildlife Alliance

1994 New York NY USA F

WindEurope

1982 Brussels Belgium D t

Winds of Hope Foundation

1999 Lausanne Switzerland G f

Winrock International

1985 Little Rock AR USA G

Witness

1992 Brooklyn NY USA G

WMO Applications of Meteorology Programme

AMP Geneva Switzerland K g

WMO Atmospheric Research and Environment Programme

AREP Geneva Switzerland K g

WMO Climate Data Information Referral Service

INFOCLIMA Geneva Switzerland K g

WMO Disaster Risk Reduction Programme

DRR 2003 Geneva Switzerland K g

WMO Hydrology and Water Resources Programme

HWRP Geneva Switzerland F g

WMO Integrated Global Observing System

WIGOS Geneva Switzerland E g

WMO Resource Mobilization Office

RMO Geneva Switzerland K g

WMO Space Programme

Geneva Switzerland K g

WMO Staff Association

Geneva Switzerland E v

WMO World Data Centre for Greenhouse Gases

WDCGG 1990 Tokyo Japan K

WMO World Ozone and Ultra-Violet Data Centre

WOUDC 1961 Toronto ON Canada K g

WMO World Radiation Data Centre, St Petersburg

WRDC 1964 St Petersburg Russia K

WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones

PTC 1972 Islamabad Pakistan E g

Women in Action Worldwide

WaW 2012 G

Women's Climate Initiative

WCI G

Women's Earth and Climate Action Network, International

WECAN 2011 Mill Valley CA USA G

Women's International News Gathering Service

WINGS 1986 Denman Is BC Canada G

Women's World Summit Foundation

WWSF 1991 Geneva Switzerland F f

WoMin

2013 Johannesburg South Africa F

Wonderland

2002 Vienna Austria F v

Working Committee of the Malting Industry of the EU

1959 Brussels Belgium E t

Working Group on Criteria and Indicators for the Conservation and Sustainable Management of Temperate and Boreal Forests

Montreal Process 1994 Tokyo Japan E

World Agroforestry Centre

ICRAF 1977 Nairobi Kenya E

World Association for Christian Communication

WACC 1975 Toronto ON Canada B y

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