Coming less than three months before November's COP26 crunch climate talks in Glasgow, the new climate science report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) doesn't pull any punches.

The 234 scientists who wrote it found that the impacts of global warming are hitting harder and faster than expected - and they're highly likely to get more severe as the planet heats up.

This won't come as a huge surprise to people struggling with heatwaves, floods and wildfires from Greece to China.

But the report also states clearly that the worst doesn't have to happen - if (and it's a big if) governments get their act together starting with COP26 and cut their emissions in line with what's needed to limit global warming to 1.5C.

Given their unimpressive record so far, the IPCC warns it's likely temperatures could reach or cross that threshold within the next 20 years.

The report underlines the importance and urgency of stepping up efforts to adjust to the changes happening now - some irreversible - and which are likely to ramp up as the planet heats further, officials said.

"It is essential to pay attention to climate adaptation since the negative trend in climate will continue for decades and in some cases for thousands of years," said the head of the World Meteorological Organization.

In Asia, the scientific clarion call was met with concern, as communities fear being pushed further below the breadline with each successive climate disaster and governments lag behind with efforts to keep people safe.

"If (governments' actions are) as slow as today, then we have no hope, no chance to be fully prepared for this," said Lidy Nacpil, coordinator of the Asian Peoples' Movement on Debt and Development.

"There will be unavoidable damages. Where can you relocate if you are coastal communities and ravaged by storm surge like on many islands in the Philippines? There's nowhere to go."

At the IPCC report launch, coinciding with the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee noted the effectiveness of indigenous knowledge, such as agricultural practices, in enabling adaptation to a warmer planet.

We ran a commentary by Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, president of the Association for Indigenous Women and Peoples of Chad, on how she's working with her Mbororo community to harness their indigenous knowledge and natural solutions to protect and share fresh water, identify drought-resistant crops and combat desertification through sustainable pastoralism.

In India, our correspondent Anuradha Nagaraj reported on efforts in mineral-rich Chhattisgarh to move away from coal mining and introduce measures to boost output of forest goods - from tamarind to cashew nuts and medicinal seeds - that are helping tribal women make a living.

"In mining a few make money, but in the green economy, the profit goes directly into the hands of the people," said Manoj Kumar Pingua, state principal secretary for forests and industries.

And for another positive example of women thriving in the midst of climate chaos, our reporter Kim Harrisberg netted a lovely tale of Zanzibari women turning to growing and selling natural sponges after warming oceans hurt their seaweed harvests.

"I learned to swim and to farm sponges so I could be free and not depend on any man," said Nasir Hassan Haji of Jambiani village.

Onwards and upwards!

Megan Rowling

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