Climatic changes and natural disasters affecting the global environment

Abstract

Today, there is near universal consensus among the world’s professions that human activity is causing climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) cautions that global greenhouse gas emissions should be cut in half by 2030 and reach net zero emissions by mid-century in order to avert the most catastrophic consequences climate change. Climate change in combination with other factors is putting at least one million plant and animal species at risk of extinction around the world. Changes in the global climate exacerbate climate hazards and amplify the risk of extreme weather disasters. Increases of air and water temperatures lead to rising sea levels, supercharged storms and higher wind speeds, more intense and prolonged droughts and wildfire seasons, heavier precipitation and flooding. The evidence is overwhelming and the results devastating: The number of climate-related disasters has tripled in the last 30 years. Between 2006 and 2016, the rate of global sea-level rise was 2.5 times faster than it was for almost all of the 20th century. More than 20 million people a year are forced from their homes by climate change. The United Nations Environment Program estimates that adapting to climate change and coping with damages will cost developing countries $140-300 billion per year by 2030. Extreme weather disasters affect all countries, rich and poor. But as we face a future with enhanced risks, it is critical to face the reality of those who bear the burden of our changing climate. For Oxfam, this is an issue of justice: those living in poverty are the hardest hit by climate change despite being the least responsible for the crisis. Climate change is forcing people from their homes, bringing poverty on top of poverty and increasing hunger. People in poorer countries are at least four times more likely to be displaced by extreme weather than people in rich countries. The world faces a race against time to reduce emissions and help the most vulnerable cope with climate impacts that are already being faced today and will escalate in the years ahead. It’s time to act now.