The Planet

The living systems that hold everything together

Climate, oceans and forests aren't separate stories — they're one interconnected system, and our wellbeing depends on keeping it in balance.

Climate

A stable climate is the foundation

Earth's climate has stayed within a narrow, life-friendly range for thousands of years. By burning fossil fuels and clearing land, humans have raised the average global temperature by roughly 1.1–1.2 °C since pre-industrial times, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

That may sound small, but it shifts rainfall, fuels stronger storms, melts ice and pushes many species beyond the conditions they evolved for. The encouraging news: the main causes are known, and the solutions — clean energy, efficiency and protecting forests — already exist.

A glacier — sensitive to a warming climate

Oceans

The blue heart of the planet

The ocean covers more than 70% of Earth's surface, produces a large share of the oxygen we breathe, and absorbs much of the excess heat and carbon dioxide we release. It is, quite literally, the planet's life-support system.

But warming waters, acidification, overfishing and plastic pollution are straining marine life. Coral reefs — home to roughly a quarter of all ocean species — are especially vulnerable to heat stress. Protecting the ocean means protecting the foundation of life on Earth.

A vibrant coral reef teeming with marine life

Forests & land

The lungs and larders of the world

Forests store enormous amounts of carbon, regulate rainfall, and shelter the majority of the world's land-based plants and animals. Tropical rainforests like the Amazon are among the richest habitats on Earth.

Deforestation — largely to make way for agriculture — releases stored carbon and destroys habitat. Yet trees are also one of our most powerful allies: protecting existing forests and restoring degraded land are among the most effective conservation tools we have.

Dense tropical rainforest canopy

It's all one system

Warmer oceans change the weather. Lost forests warm the climate. A changing climate pushes animals toward extinction. Protect one part, and you help them all.

See who's at risk