2021 Owens Corning Sustainability Report | Overview | The Fight Against Climate Change | 12 The importance of embracing these standards has never been more urgent. While certainly the talk of climate scientists for years, the IPCC process was the first time the scientific community has established a clear connection between these localized weather events and human- driven climate change. The higher temperatures associated with climate change have intensified the water cycle, leading to warmer oceans, heavier rainfalls, and increased flooding, as well as higher sea levels along coastal areas. In addition, hotter climates are linked to droughts and fires in other parts of the world. As more studies link catastrophic weather events to the emission of greenhouse gases, they serve to confirm what many people have long understood: While weather and climate are in many ways two separate concepts, they are clearly tied together, and changes in the climate have very real consequences in our everyday lives. It has also underscored the need for everyone — corporations and individuals alike — to take action to limit our impact on our global climate. Scientists often seek to maintain optimism about the extent to which mitigating climate change is possible. However, there is good reason to believe that we are destined to live in a world that has been significantly touched by climate change, with higher temperatures and more extreme weather conditions. Because we will be affected by the impact of these changes for countless generations to come, we must elevate our focus on adaptation and carbon removal, even as we continue to work diligently to mitigate our greenhouse gas emissions. Our commitment to decarbonization is evident throughout this report, as is our dedication to the new materials and material system opportunities available to us as we work to both mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change. This report is full of incredible photos spotlighting the beauty of the natural world. As readers browse the report, we hope they will recognize how fragile these landscapes are, and the potential damage that even small increases in temperature might have on them. Images like these serve as an acute reminder of exactly what is at stake as we work to build a more sustainable future. Photo submitted by: Tim Clancy | Toledo, Ohio, U.S. View from a cabin in Northern Michigan.