A warming climate change puts people’s lives at risk. High temperatures make it harder to breathe, cause a higher incidence of heat-related illnesses, and damage freshwater supplies. People in low-income countries and those living in poverty are especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
We are causing global warming by burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas. These gases cause the Earth to warm by trapping sunlight in the atmosphere.
1. Global temperatures are rising
The Earth’s temperature has risen faster than it ever has in the past due to climate change. This is mainly because human activities have increased the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. These gases act as a blanket around the Earth, trapping heat that would normally escape into space.
Over time, this warming effect is causing changes in weather patterns, melting ice caps, and rising sea levels. It is also affecting the availability of food and water. Low-income communities are especially vulnerable. They are often more affected by heat waves, floods, and droughts.
In addition, climate change has been linked to the spread of diseases like malaria and tuberculosis. It has also increased the range of mosquitoes that carry these diseases. By helping communities adapt to these changes, we can prevent health crises and reduce poverty.
2. Sea levels are rising
The oceans are rising because they are absorbing extra heat that has been trapped by human activities like burning fossil fuels. This is called thermal expansion, and it’s happening faster as the planet gets warmer.
Warming temperatures also cause glaciers and ice sheets on land to melt, which leads to sea level rise. In addition, rising sea levels introduce saltwater into inland freshwater sources, which could threaten water supplies in coastal communities.
Many species are being forced to find new habitats because their current climate is no longer suitable. Polar animals that rely on sea ice, for example, are struggling to survive as it melts. Meanwhile, salmon populations are dwindling because their rivers are warming and becoming less hospitable for them to reproduce in. This change in climate affects wildlife and humans alike. But some people are being hit harder than others.
3. Droughts and floods are becoming more frequent
A warmer atmosphere can suck moisture out of the ground, leading to droughts. But it also holds more water vapor, amplifying floods.
Climate change is making these extreme weather events more common. In fact, they are now happening at a rate that is faster than ever before.
Droughts and floods can also be deadly for people. For example, they can destroy crops and cause homes to flood. These disasters often hit poor communities hardest.
This is because families without money or savings may be forced to sell their belongings when a natural disaster strikes. This can leave them disproportionally disadvantaged, particularly if they are black, Latino, or indigenous. Also, families with less financial security are more likely to be living in areas with higher temperatures and heavier rainfall. This can lead to increased health and economic costs.
4. Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent
The more heat-trapping greenhouse gases we pump into the atmosphere, the warmer Earth gets. This warming causes extreme weather events to become more common around the world, and they tend to be much more intense than they used to be.
Unusually hot days and unusually warm nights are becoming more frequent in the United States. Heavy rain and snowfall events are also becoming more frequent, and these can cause flooding.
Climate scientists are developing a new field of science called “extreme event attribution,” which uses statistics and models to determine how much of a particular weather event is due to human-caused climate change. They have found that global warming makes floods, droughts, and heat waves more likely. These weather events are hurting people and pushing natural and human systems to their limits. They’re also costing societies hundreds of billions of dollars each year.
5. Natural disasters are becoming more frequent
Across the United States, weather disasters costing more than $1 billion are occurring more often. They are mostly made worse by climate change and the rapid warming of the planet caused by the accumulation of heat-trapping greenhouse gases.
These include sweltering heat waves, flooding, years-long droughts and wildfires. Climate change also alters the water cycle, causes land ice to melt and shifts weather patterns.
Those most vulnerable to climate impacts are low-income communities and indigenous people. They lack the resources to cope with climate change and are deeply dependent on a healthy natural world for food and income. These communities also tend to be hotter during heatwaves, flood more easily in heavy downpours and lose power first when a storm hits. Moreover, climate change enhances the dryness of forests and increases the frequency and intensity of wildfires.
6. Food prices are rising
Producing and consuming food creates lots of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Deforestation, harvesting, processing, and cooking all generate emissions as well as fertilizers and manure from livestock. Emissions also come from using fossil fuels to power farm machinery and ships, as well as packaging and distributing foods.
Climate change is affecting food production and prices around the world. Heat waves and droughts are damaging crops, and floods and wildfires have destroyed homes and livelihoods. These events are driving people to migrate in search of food, jobs, and safety.
Lower-income countries tend to suffer disproportionately from climate damage. They are more likely to live in low-lying areas, and they have fewer resources for adapting to changing weather conditions. They are also responsible for a smaller share of global emissions. They will experience the effects of climate change more than rich nations and will struggle to keep up with food inflation if it continues at current rates.
7. Water shortages are becoming more common
As sea levels rise and glaciers, permafrost, and mountain glaciers melt, the availability of freshwater for people, agriculture, energy production, and industry is becoming a major issue. Many communities are facing droughts and flooding, and critical groundwater aquifers are being depleted.
While no extreme weather event comes down to a single cause, researchers are finding that climate change makes floods, heat waves, and wildfires more likely. In fact, according to Carbon Brief, the number of large wildfires in the US has more than doubled since 1984.
As the climate crisis progresses, it will have a direct impact on people’s health. Increased temperatures, food shortages, and floods can lead to malnutrition and death. Additionally, warmer conditions can expand the range of mosquitoes that carry deadly diseases like malaria and dengue fever. Climate damage will also disproportionately affect poor and minority communities.
8. Air pollution is becoming more common
A recent study found that people are becoming more vulnerable to climate change as a result of higher temperatures and changing weather patterns. This can lead to a loss of livelihoods, increased poverty, and political unrest.
Climate change is also affecting human health. Air pollution from burning fossil fuels is increasing, as are the emissions from deforestation and livestock farming. These emissions are contributing to global warming by trapping the sun’s heat.
In addition, the melting of ice sheets and glaciers is raising sea levels and decreasing land-based ice storage, while also reducing the amount of methane and carbon dioxide being stored in permafrost. This is impacting coastal communities and creating a global risk for disasters and insecurity. These risks are disproportionately experienced by the poorest nations. They can be mitigated by switching to green energy sources.
9. People are becoming more vulnerable to climate change
All people will be affected by climate change, but some groups are at higher risk than others. Children, poor people and those with preexisting health conditions are especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change. These groups are often already living in poverty and lack access to healthy food and water.
Climate change also affects biodiversity, causing species like frogs and spiders to disappear. This decrease in biodiversity reduces water quality and leads to a loss of natural pest control.
The rich countries have contributed the most to climate change, with the richest 1% of people generating more than double the carbon emissions of the poorest 50% of the population. This unequal distribution of emissions contributes to inequality in the ways that people will be impacted by climate change. It also increases the risk of overshooting the climate goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius.
10. The Earth is getting older
While the Earth has always experienced climate changes, they are happening much faster now. This is because climate change causes feedback loops to speed up the rate of warming and cause more extreme weather events.
The most common source of greenhouse gases is burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas. Another major source is cutting down forests (deforestation). The loss of trees reduces the ability of the ecosystem to regulate the climate. It also releases a potent greenhouse gas called methane into the air.
Climate change is affecting everyone around the world in different ways. However, some populations are more vulnerable than others. These include poor people, communities of color, indigenous peoples, children and pregnant women, elderly adults, and those with medical conditions. They are also at higher risk from climate-related health risks due to the increased frequency and severity of heat waves and other extreme weather events.