Written by Terry Clayton and Elizabeth Harris
Climate Change
Climate change is the most pressing issue of our time. As global temperatures continue to rise, we are experiencing more extreme weather events, such as mega-storms, droughts, heat waves, wildfires, destruction of ecosystems and habitats, species extinctions, as well as contributing to the spread of diseases and pests. These events not only cause devastation to communities and ecosystems, but they have a significant economic impact on industries, markets, and governments around the world.
In this article, I explore the causes of climate change, the consequences of global warming, and the long-term implications for the economy and society. I will also discuss strategies for resilience and mitigation, as well as the importance of international collaboration and policy solutions in addressing this global crisis.
Causes of Climate Change: The Human and Natural Factors
There are several factors contributing to climate change, both natural and human-caused. Natural factors include volcanic eruptions, solar radiation, and changes in the Earth's orbit, all of which affect global temperatures. However, the primary cause of climate change in recent history is human activity. The burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and other activities have led to increased levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that trap heat, causing the Earth's temperature to rise.
The primary greenhouse gas responsible for global warming is carbon dioxide (CO2). Since the Industrial Revolution, human activities have significantly increased the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere, primarily through the burning of fossil fuels. Methane, nitrous oxide, and other greenhouse gases are also released through agricultural practices, waste management, and industrial processes, further contributing to the warming of our planet.
Consequences of Global Warming: Mega Storms, Droughts, and More
Droughts and heat waves are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change. As temperatures rise, evaporation rates increase, leading to drier conditions and reduced water availability in many regions. Prolonged droughts can result in crop failures, food shortages, and economic hardship for both consumers and growers that rely on agriculture for survival.
But water is also a critical actor. One of the most significant consequences of global warming is the increase in the frequency and intensity of storms. Warmer ocean temperatures provide more energy for storms, leading to powerful hurricanes and typhoons. Rising sea levels also exacerbate storm surges and coastal flooding, causing billions of dollars in damages and displacing millions of people. The UN and NOAA report that one-third of the earth’s population (2.4 billion people) lives within 60 miles from a coastline.
Economic Impacts of Climate Change: Disruptions to Industries and Markets
The economic impacts of climate change are widespread and significant. Industries such as agriculture, fisheries, tourism, and insurance are particularly vulnerable to its effects. As extreme weather events become more frequent and severe, these industries face increased risks and uncertainties, leading to disruptions in supply chains, volatile market prices, and reduced profits.
Agriculture is especially susceptible since crop yields are highly dependent on temperature, rainfall, and soil conditions. Weather upheavals lead to crop failures, reduced productivity, salinization, and the spread of pests and diseases. The global food system is already under strain due to a growing population and increasing demand for resources. Climate change only exacerbates these challenges. Severe consequences will be felt across all industries and systems that we rely upon.
Cost of Climate Change on Governments and Communities
The financial burdens of climate change are immense, with governments and communities around the world facing significant costs far greater than what we have experienced in human history. These costs include rebuilding infrastructure damage, providing disaster relief and humanitarian aid in addition to needing to invest in adaptive protection measures.
In addition to direct costs, there are also significant indirect economic impacts such as reduced productivity, increased healthcare costs due to the spread of disease, and the displacement of populations from climate-related disasters. These impacts will strain government budgets and place additional burdens on taxpayers everywhere.
As the frequency and severity of extreme weather events continue to escalate, the global costs are expected to rise. Insurance giant Swiss Re calculates that climate change could cost the global economy $23 trillion USD in 2050. A recent analysis by the United States Office of Management and Budget calculated that climate change could cost $2 trillion each year for the United States alone by the end of the century. This figure does not include the trillions of dollars necessary to build additional infrastructure, such as sea walls, dams, etc.
Long-term Implications of Climate Change for the Economy and Society
Climate change has gone way beyond simply being an environmental issue; it has significant long-term implications. Its will lead to food and water shortages, economic instability, huge migration issues and social unrest, which will exacerbate existing inequalities and vulnerabilities, putting civility itself in peril.
Just as importantly, the risks associated with climate change will become increasingly difficult to manage. Without urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change, we will face a future of unprecedented challenges and uncertainties, with potentially devastating consequences for our economy, society, and the natural world.
At its most basic level economy is the system by which humans extract resources from the environment. Our species has culturally evolved from small hunting and gathering groups, to farmers and herders, to civilization as technology improved. This evolution has allowed greater exploitation of the environment. History shows that when local cultures reached such a point, their choices were to change to a larger, more complex system or to self-destruct. But countries around the globe are no longer singular in the environmental sense. We are all in this together and we are at a point where the very environment that supports our lives is facing collapse.
The only way that we are going to get out of this mess is if it’s tackled by all societies coordinating their activities to prevent further exploitation of our environment. All successful societies have found ways by which they can cooperate. As a world community, resolving the environmental problems of global warming and the life-threatening events stemming from it can only be solved at a global level. This requires creating structures large enough to carry this out.
Strategies for Resilience and Mitigation
To address the challenges before us, we must develop strategies for resilience and mitigation. Resilience involves adapting to the impacts of climate change and building the capacity of communities and ecosystems to withstand, and recover from, the effects of global warming. Resilience strategies include investing in infrastructure that can withstand extreme weather events, developing early warning systems for natural disasters, and implementing sustainable land-use practices to reduce the risk of flooding and erosion. In agriculture, resilience measures may involve developing drought-resistant crop varieties, improving irrigation systems, and adopting agro-forestry techniques to enhance soil fertility and reduce erosion.
Mitigation focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions to slow the rate of climate change and limit the severity of its impacts. Mitigation efforts include transitioning to clean and renewable energy sources, improving energy efficiency, and implementing carbon pricing mechanisms to incentivize industry emissions reductions. Reducing deforestation and promoting reforestation can also help to mitigate climate change by increasing the capacity of forests to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere.
Climate Change Facts: The Science and Data Behind the Issue
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a group of thousands of scientists from around the world, has found that human activity has caused significant planetary warming above pre-industrial levels. According to the World Meteorological Organization, the past decade was the hottest on record, with global temperatures 1.1°C above pre-industrial levels. Sea levels are also rising at an accelerating rate, with an average increase of 3.2 millimeters per year between 1993 and 2019. According to NASA Global Climate Change, Antarctica is losing ice mass (melting) at an average rate of about 150 billion tons per year, and Greenland is losing about 270 billion tons per year, adding to sea level rise (see my earlier blog post on the Thwaites Glacier.
These climate change facts provide a stark reminder of the urgency of addressing this global crisis and the need for immediate action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of global warming.
Climate Change Problems Require Global Collaboration and Policy Solutions
Combatting climate change requires international collaboration and strong policy solutions. The Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015, is a major milestone in global efforts to address this challenge. Under the agreement, nearly 200 countries have committed to limiting global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, the temperature feedback loop that is unstoppable and that we are rapidly approaching. The agreement also includes provisions for countries to regularly review and strengthen their emissions reduction targets, as well as financial support for developing countries to adapt to climate change and transition to clean energy. Unfortunately, none of the signatories have thus far complied.
Unfortunately, the Paris Agreement alone is not sufficient to address the scale of the climate change problem. Additional policy measures are needed at the national and regional levels, such as carbon pricing mechanisms, renewable energy incentives, and regulations to phase out the use of fossil fuels.
Public awareness and engagement are also critical components, which is why I write this article. Educating people about the causes and impacts of global warming, as well as the importance of individual actions, such as reducing energy consumption and supporting sustainable products and services, will help drive the societal changes needed to address this global crisis.
This Issue is Urgent
The economic impact of global warming is a stark reminder of the gravity of addressing climate change. The consequences of inaction are severe, with potentially disastrous effects on our economy, society, and the natural world. By understanding the causes and consequences of climate change, as well as the need for strategies for resilience and mitigation, we can work together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to the impacts of global warming, and build a more sustainable and resilient future.
Urge your representatives and other governmental officials to act now. Get involved with efforts at the local level. Choose your investments with climate change in mind. Act now.
Our collective future depends upon it.
Websites of Interest
www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/06/impact-climate-change-global-gdp