The UN Climate Change Conference in Peru ( 1- 12 December) kicked off on Monday with inspiring calls to climate action.

In her opening address, the UN’s top climate change official Christiana Figueres called on delegates to take inspiration from Peru’s famous Nazca lines etched into the soil by Peru’s indigenous Nazca people many centuries ago. These lines depict symbols of Nazca mythology, and include the monkey, the hummingbird and the condor.

The Global Climate Risk Index 2014 analyses to what extent countries have been affected by the impacts of weather-related loss events (storms, floods, heat waves etc.). The most recent data available—from 2012 and 1993–2012—were taken into account. The countries affected most in 2012 were Haiti, the Philippines and Pakistan. For the period from 1993 to 2012 Honduras, Myanmar and Haiti rank highest.

Human influence on the climate system is clear and growing, with impacts observed on all continents. If left unchecked, climate change will increase the likelihood of severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts for people and ecosystems. However, options are available to adapt to climate change and implementing stringent mitigations activities can ensure that the impacts of climate change remain within a manageable range, creating a brighter and more sustainable future.

UN science panel’s final report this year will indicate how serious governments take the threat of climate change.