Money makes the world go round – but so does taking care of the planet. On October 7th, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released their most recent findings on global warming, which reveals a glim future unless the world acts soon.

According to Washington Post writer Seth Borenstein, in “the 728-page document, the U.N. organization detailed how Earth’s weather, health and ecosystems would be in better shape if the world’s leaders could somehow limit future human-caused warming to just 0.9 degrees Fahrenheit (a half degree Celsius) from now, instead of the globally agreed-upon goal of 1.8 degrees F (1 degree C).”

Borenstein also noted that the U.N. report states that global climate change is a “life-or-death warning.” The report notes that limiting global temperature increase comes with many positive effects, including “half as many people would suffer from lack of water” and “saving most of the world’s coral reefs from dying.”

According to Borenstein, the report details a number of significant actions that must be taken if the world is to slow the warming process. He noted that the report states that the world needs “‘rapid and far-reaching’ changes in energy systems, land use, city and industrial design, transportation and building use.”