The Global Climate Changes Charted

Climate Change Is the World’s Biggest Risk, in 3 Charts

Brian Kahn, January 12, 2017 (Climate Central)

“…[World Economic Forum experts] ranked extreme weather as the most likely risk and the second-most impactful [risk facing humanity], trailing only the use of weapons of mass destruction. Climate change is responsible for driving an increase in the likelihood and intensity of extreme weather events, notably heat waves…Failing to adapt to or mitigate climate change and a host of other climate-connected risks including water and food crises and involuntary migration also rank in the top 10…[Climate change has] been a fixture in the top 5 threats in terms of likelihood and impact since 2011…There were 15 disasters that cost the U.S. $1 billion or more in 2016, trailing only 2011 for a record number of billion-dollar disasters…

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The impacts of climate change are becoming clearer…[T]he world just had its hottest year on record, Arctic sea ice is in sharp decline, and sea levels are rising and threatening coastal cities…Scientists have warned about knock-on effects ranging from increased risk of drought and conflict, changes to animal migration patterns and in the case of extreme weather, the potential for widescale human suffering after a storm passes…[But] there’s also a clear-cut path to reduce the risk…[by cutting carbon pollution and the freefall of solar panel costs, the rise of battery technologies and the record-setting pace of investment in renewables [are] signals that a new Industrial Revolution is already underway…” click here for more

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