BaCCC/Module 2/Lesson 1/Part 1
Contents
Module 2, Lesson 1: The Local, National and Global Impacts and Consequences of Climate Change
Introduction
How is climate change impacting the world in general and your nation in particular? How is climate change currently impacting you, personally, your household and your community specifically? What are the likely future impacts of climate change?
“Climate change and increasingly extreme weather events have caused a surge in natural disasters over the past 50 years, disproportionately impacting poorer countries,” the WMO and United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction said in 2021.
That news got worse before it got better. Between 1970 and 2019, these natural hazards were responsible for
- 50% of all disasters (for a total of 11,000)
- 45% of all reported deaths (just over 2 million, 91% in developing countries)
- 74% of all reported economic losses ($3.64 trillion)
The good news is that “improved early warning systems and disaster management” have led to “a significant reduction in mortality,” which is definitely something to celebrate.
To get a glimpse of these impacts, watch one or two of the Emergency Natural Disasters videos at this climate change channel: https://www.youtube.com/@climatechange
If you have trouble accessing the video, a summary is available below.
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Keep track, as you watch, of how many different countries on how many continents were hit by disasters in one week.
Also, it is interesting to note that although earthquakes and volcano eruptions are not normally thought of as climate change-related disasters, research is beginning to show correlations between climate change (the melting of glaciers, for example) and the frequency of both earthquakes and volcanic disruptions.
This is illustrated in the following publications.
Terminology
The following terms are important in understanding the science behind climate change. If you want to remember them, write their meanings in your learning journal as you encounter them in the course content.
- biodiversity
- consequences
- economy
- environment
- extreme weather
- impacts
- natural disaster
- precipitation
- social equity
- sustainable development
The difference between impacts and consequences of climate change
According to the dictionary, an impact is the action of one object coming forcibly into contact with another. It also means noticeable effect or influence. (Both definitions fit with climate change.)
A consequence implies more of an end result or by-product, the aftermath or repercussions of an impact – usually unwelcome or unpleasant, but not always, and often unintended (because we cannot think ahead of time of everything that might be impacted).
When referring to the effects of climate change, the terms “impacts” and “consequences” are often used interchangeably, but they do have slightly different meanings.
- Impacts refer to the direct effects of climate change on natural and human systems. For example, the impacts of climate change could include the increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events, rising sea levels and changes in ecosystems and wildlife habitats.
- Consequences refer to the outcomes or results of those impacts on society and the environment. For example, the consequences of climate change could include damage to infrastructure and property from extreme weather events, the displacement of communities due to sea level rise and the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services.
In other words, impacts are the initial effects of climate change on the physical environment, while consequences are the broader effects on society, the economy and the rest of nature that result from those impacts.
Although the line is sometimes blurred, it is good to understand the distinction between impacts and consequences in order to understand the full scope and severity of the climate crisis and for identifying effective strategies for mitigating (see Module 4) and adapting (see Module 6) to its effects.
| Impacts | Consequences |
|---|---|
| 1. The spread of disease vectors (animals that transmit disease) | |
| 2. Less rainfall (precipitation) | |
| 3. An increase in precipitation | |
| 4. | |
| 5. |
References
- ↑ Sneed, 2017. Get-ready-for-more-volcanic-eruptions-as-the-planet-warms
- ↑ Swindles et al.,2018. [https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geology/article/46/1/47/521232/ Climatic-control-on-Icelandic-volcanic-activity ]
