What does "if not in its absolute stakes" mean in this article? "Climate change is, though, a dire threat to countless people - one that is planetary in scope *if not in its absolute stakes*." - So I guess "planetary in scope" here means the effect of climate change is so big that it's almost affecting the entire planet (am i right?) but what does "in its absolute stakes" mean here? Does "it" indicate climate change? I'm not sure about the exact meaning of both "absolute" and "stakes" here. Thanks in advance.