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Climate Action 15: 2024's top global innovators powering green solutions

A deadly heat wave gripped large regions of Asia for weeks in April and May 2024. As temperatures climbed past 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) in India on May 7, campaigning politicians, local news announcers and voters waiting in long lines passed out from the oppressive heat. From as far north as Japan to as far south as the Philippines, the relentless heat wreaked havoc on everyday life. Students and teachers in Cambodia were sent home from school, as their hand-held fans provided little protection against the stifling heat and humidity in their poorly ventilated classrooms. Farmers in Thailand saw their crops wither and mourned the loss of livestock that perished under the punishing sun. Hundreds of people died from the heat. Most of the planet has suffered the dire effects of <keyword id="20563038" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="extreme-heat" source="keywords">extreme heat</keyword> in recent years. A weekslong heat wave in the southwestern United States in 2023 was described as "hell on earth" in Phoenix, where temperatures hit 110 F (43.3 C) or higher for 31 straight days. At the same time, Europe saw unprecedented high temperatures that killed hundreds and contributed to devastating wildfires in Greece. Regardless of where or when a heat wave strikes, one pattern is a constant: Older adults are the most likely to die from extreme heat, and this crisis will worsen in the coming years. We study <keyword id="19907392" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="climate-change" source="keywords">climate change</keyword> and population aging. Our research documents two global trends that together portend a dire future. More older adults will be at risk of heat stress First, temperatures are hotter than ever. The nine-year period from 2015 and 2023 had the highest average temperatures since global records began in 1880. Second, the population is aging worldwide. By 2050, the number of people ages 60 and older will double to nearly 2.1 billion, making up 21 per cent of the <keyword id="21055680" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="global-population" source="keywords">global population</keyword>. That proportion is 13 per cent today. These combined forces mean that ever-rising numbers of vulnerable older adults will be exposed to intensifying heat. To understand the risks ahead, we developed population projections for different age groups and combined them with climate change scenarios for the coming decades. Our analyses show that by 2050, more than 23 per cent of the world population ages 69 and older will be living in regions where peak temperatures routinely surpass 99.5 degrees F (37.5 degrees C), compared with just 14 per cent today. That means that as many as 250 million additional older adults will be exposed to dangerously high temperatures. Mapping the data shows that most of these older adults live in lower- and middle-income countries with insufficient services and limited access to electricity, cooling appliances and safe water. In historically cooler regions in the Global North, including North America and Europe, <keyword id="20707229" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rising-temperatures" source="keywords">rising temperatures</keyword> will be the main force driving older adults' heat exposure. In historically hotter regions in the Global South such as Asia, Africa and South America, population growth and increases in longevity mean that steeply rising numbers of older adults will be exposed to intensifying heat-related risks. Policymakers, communities, families and older residents themselves need to understand these risks and be prepared because of older adults' special vulnerabilities to heat. Extreme heat is especially harmful to older adults High temperatures are oppressive for everyone, but for older adults they can be deadly. Extreme heat worsens common age-related health conditions such as heart, lung and kidney disease and can cause delirium. Older people don't sweat as much as younger people, which makes it harder for their bodies to cool down when temperatures spike. These problems are intensified by common prescription medications, such as anticholinergics, which further reduce the capacity to sweat. Spending time outdoors in hot humid weather can cause dehydration, a problem worsened by the side effects of prescription medications such as diuretics and beta-blockers. Dehydration can make older adults weak and dizzy, increasing their risk of falls and injury. These threats are even worse in regions lacking access to safe and affordable drinking water. Poor air quality makes it difficult to breath, especially for those who already have lung problems such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. For older adults with physical health problems, temperatures as low as 80 F (26.7 C) can pose significant danger. And when humidity is as high as 90 per cent, even 78 F (25.6 C) can be hazardous to older adults. Nighttime heat is especially harmful for older adults whose homes lack air conditioning or who can't afford to run their air conditioners for long periods. The ideal temperature for older adults' restful sleep is between 68 and 77 F (20 and 25 C), and sleep quality diminishes as temperatures rise. A night of restless sleep can make an older adult more depressed and confused during their waking hours. Medications also can lose their effectiveness if stored in places much warmer than 77 F (25 C). Older adults also may suffer emotionally during stifling <keyword id="20472420" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="heat-waves" source="keywords">heat waves</keyword> Being stuck indoors when temperatures are unbearable can make older adults bored, depressed and isolated. People with cognitive impairments may underestimate the dangers of extreme heat or may not understand the heat advisories. Those who have physical mobility limitations or lack access to transportation can't easily travel to public cooling centers - if there is one nearby - or find relief in nearby "green and blue areas," such as parks and lakes. These threats are especially dire in low- and middle-income nations, where older adults are more likely to live in substandard housing and lack access to high-quality health care or ways to cool down in the heat. We talk about this as "systemic cooling poverty." What can be done? Policymakers can work to cut greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels in vehicles, power plants and factories, which drive global warming, and develop effective plans to protect older people from heat risk. Older adults and their caregivers also can take steps to adapt. But efforts to help need to be tailored to each region and population. Wealthy municipalities can increase public investments in early warning systems and ride services to cooling centers and hospitals. They can use geographic information systems to identify neighborhoods with high concentrations of older adults and expand power grids to manage increasing demand for air conditioning. In regions with substandard housing, limited access to clean water and few public supports such as cooling centers, much larger changes are necessary. Providing better health care, water and housing and reducing air pollution that can mitigate health problems during heat waves require significant changes and investments many countries struggle to afford. The World Health Organization and Pan American Health Organization warn that this decade will be critical for preparing communities to handle rising heat and the risk to aging populations. Across all regions, researchers, practitioners and policymakers could save lives by heeding their call. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/awfis-space-solutions-ipo-allotment-how-to-check-allotment-gmp-listing-date-and-more/articleshow/110467409.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/awfis-space-solutions-ipo-allotment-how-to-check-allotment-gmp-listing-date-and-more/articleshow/110467409.cms" target="_blank">Awfis Space Solutions IPO allotment – How to check allotment, GMP, listing date and more</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/samsung-galaxy-f55-with-leather-back-launched-in-india-starting-at-26999/articleshow/110462026.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/samsung-galaxy-f55-with-leather-back-launched-in-india-starting-at-26999/articleshow/110462026.cms" target="_blank">Samsung Galaxy F55 with leather back launched in India starting at ₹26,999</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/lenovo-loq-15-review/articleshow/110456546.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/lenovo-loq-15-review/articleshow/110456546.cms" target="_blank">Lenovo LOQ 15 review – gaming laptop with a sturdy design</a>

Heat waves can be deadly for older adults: An aging global population and rising temperatures mean millions are at risk

<ul><li>Ocean warming also connects energy, carbon, and water cycles, as it is a key component of the <keyword id="6359982" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="earth" source="Orion">Earth</keyword> system. </li><li>A warmer ocean leads to more intense storms, more deadly rainfall and flooding. </li><li>As humans emit greenhouse gas into the atmosphere, it causes the Earth to warm. </li></ul> A new comprehensive review of global ocean temperature data has allowed researchers to paint a clear picture of ocean warming since the 1950s, and predict future warming scenarios, according to a study released on Tuesday. Researchers found that the rate of warming in the upper 2,000 metres of the ocean in 2010 more than doubled that of 1960, and predicted that if actions were not taken, the rate of ocean warming would be four times larger than the current level by 2090, with dire consequences for all life on Earth, <keyword id="106387" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="xinhua-news-agency" source="Orion">Xinhua news agency</keyword> quoted the study published in Nature Reviews journal as saying. Authors from the University of Auckland, the National Center of Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, and research institutes from China, France, Australia and the UK, said that if the world succeeds in limiting global surface temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, as per the Paris Agreement, the acceleration of ocean warming will stop at around 2030. As humans emit greenhouse gas into the atmosphere, it causes the Earth to warm. The vast majority of the heat ends up in the ocean. Therefore, to understand how fast the Earth's climate is changing, people must look to the ocean and track ocean heat content change. Ocean warming also connects energy, carbon, and water cycles, as it is a key component of the Earth system, according to the study. A warmer ocean brings tremendous consequences to the Earth. Not just to sea life but to the weather patterns across the planet and to the food chain. A warmer ocean leads to more intense storms, more deadly rainfall and flooding, and more powerful typhoons and hurricanes, it said. A consequence of warming is that parts of the planet will become drier, with more heat waves and droughts. Other parts will become wetter as rainfalls happen in bigger downbursts, according to the study. Coastal regions are increasingly vulnerable in association with rising sea levels, storm surges and adverse impacts on ecosystems, the study showed. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sports/news/t20-world-cup-sikandar-raza-bowlers-lead-zimbabwe-to-clinical-31-run-win-over-ireland/articleshow/94921708.cms">T20 World Cup: Sikandar Raza, bowlers lead Zimbabwe to clinical 31-run win over Ireland</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/railways-sets-new-record-in-scrap-sales-earns-rs-2582-cr-in-6-months/articleshow/94921491.cms">Railways sets new record in scrap sales, earns Rs 2,582 cr in 6 months</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/govt-seeks-data-on-vacancies-from-psus-roadmap-to-fill-them/articleshow/94916445.cms">Govt seeks data on vacancies from PSUs; roadmap to fill them</a>

Ocean warming rates to quadruple by 2090 if climate change not mitigated: study

Only a few people are allowed in this locked vault deep within a mountain, where seed samples of around 6,000 different species are safeguarded &mdash; see inside the highly restricted space

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Over a million species are <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/animals-saved-endangered-species-act-passed-eagle-grizzly-wolf-alligator-2023-11">at risk of extinction</a> due to climate change. </li><li>But some animals are more resilient to temperature changes and could thrive in a warming world.</li></ul>In the game of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-trump-climate-policies-ev-subsidies-renewables-fossil-fuel-drilling-2024-7">climate change</a>, there are both winners and losers.Experts predict that one-third of Earth's plants and animals — millions of species — could disappear by 2050 if the current rate of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-microsoft-ai-search-war-will-add-to-carbon-emissions-2023-2">greenhouse gas emissions</a> persists. And some are already disappearing.But other animals are more resilient to temperature changes and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-atlantic-wolffish-is-being-driven-to-extinction-2018-12">habitat disruption</a>. There are a few species that could not only survive but thrive in a warming world.Climate models have shown that "we have a lot of species that might actually benefit from climate change," expanding their ranges into new geographic areas that were previously inhospitable to them, Giovanni Strona, quantitative ecology researcher at the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, told Business Insider.Many of these climate change "winners" are hardy, fast-breeding scavengers that already live in some of the most degraded habitats on Earth: cities. They're not all cute and cuddly, and some are considered pests that pose <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reduce-hazardous-forever-chemicals-exposure-pfas-at-home-2022-9">risks to human health</a>.Whether you like them or not, it doesn't look like these four critters are going away any time soon.<h2 id="6e3ccb79-94d3-4f58-b3e8-cfc9daa4ac11">Cockroaches probably won't need to worry about a food shortage</h2><div type="image" title="cockroach" height="667" width="1000" msid="112024671" hostid="261" sizebytes="34886"></div>Roaches are a city-dweller's worst enemy. These indestructible insects can inhabit every corner of their urban environment, from the dredges of subway tunnels to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rupert-murdoch-cuts-price-of-nyc-penthouse-in-half-2024-6">skyrise apartments</a>.And once they've moved in, it's extremely difficult to get rid of them. That's because the humble cockroach has evolved to be one of the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/origin-cockroaches-evolution-human-made-environments-study-2024-5">most resilient animals in the world</a>.These ancient arthropods have been around for over 300 million years, surviving every challenge they've faced. They even made it through the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/molting-feathers-help-birds-survive-when-dinosaurs-went-extinct-2023-7">Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction</a>, which eliminated 80% of Earth's animal life.What didn't kill them only made them stronger. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/roblox-streamer-powenvy-tiktok-viral-messy-dirty-roaches-bedroom-2023-12">Cockroaches</a> have lived through periods of extreme environmental change, including significant climatic shifts. They prefer hot, humid conditions, and can survive temperatures up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.What's more, cockroaches can live for a month without food, and a week without water. When it comes to what they eat, they aren't picky, which means they probably don't have to worry about climate change eliminating their food source.These characteristics and their long history of survival lead scientists to believe that cockroaches will do just fine in a warmer world, and perhaps even <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/animals-that-can-survive-apocalypse-2019-7">outlive humans</a>.<h2 id="8abd8a8d-f358-4fd9-8509-15905483e765">Rats can probably evolve to tackle anything climate change throws their way</h2><div type="image" title="Rats" height="2000" width="3008" msid="112024666" hostid="261" sizebytes="329522"></div>Like cockroaches, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nyc-rat-czar-stop-feeding-pigeons-tactics-2024-4">rats</a> eat pretty much anything and can live almost anywhere. But the real source of their resilience is their adaptability.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nyc-rat-extermination-weapon-rodent-population-takeover-climate-change-2023-11">Rats reproduce in massive numbers</a>. They breed year-round, producing roughly six litters annually. The average litter size is eight to 18 pups, so that's up to 108 rats a year from a single female.Because of how rapidly they reproduce, rats evolve faster than many other mammals, adapting to changes in their environment or climate faster and more effectively.Plus, there's strength in numbers. Having lots and lots of babies means that rats can sustain large population numbers, so when challenges arise, there's a greater chance that at least some individuals will survive.Research has shown that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/climate-extremes-worsen-most-infectious-diseases-from-leprosy-to-covid-2022-8">rising global temperatures</a> will only make it easier for rats to reproduce. Because as winters grow warmer, fewer rats will die from the cold, leaving more rats to reproduce year-round.We're already beginning to see their numbers increase worldwide. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-city-explosive-increase-rats-over-last-65-years-2023-3">New York City's rat population</a> has increased by nearly one million over the last decade, M&amp;M Pest Control <a target="_blank" href="https://mandmpestcontrol.com/there-are-now-3-million-rats-in-new-york-city-study/">estimated</a> in 2023.If climate change is driving a "ratpocalypse," as some evidence <a target="_blank" href="https://mediaengagement.org/blogs/rat-boom-and-leptospirosis-spike-in-nyc-linked-to-climate-change/">suggests</a>, that could have big consequences for human health.Rats can carry diseases that are dangerous to humans, such as hantavirus, leptospirosis, and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microbiologist-how-to-avoid-food-poisoning-2023-9">salmonella</a>. If they thrive in a warming world, that means these diseases could too.<h2 id="c2a5e096-ef23-4254-9b7d-dcb465a4d7ce">Mosquitos can grow faster in a warming world</h2><div type="image" title="A mosquito crawling on a person's skin against a green background." height="1414" width="2120" msid="112024664" hostid="261" sizebytes="64912"></div>Mosquitos aren't just annoying, they're also a major driver of disease worldwide.These tiny bloodsuckers can carry a whole host of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mosquitos-with-west-nile-virus-becoming-immune-bug-spray-2023-8">viruses and parasites</a>, including malaria, dengue, Zika virus, and more. When transmitted to humans, these illnesses can be fatal. Each year, over one million people around the world die from mosquito-borne illnesses.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/map-shows-west-nile-virus-has-been-detected-us-states-2022-7">Mosquito-borne illness</a> is most prevalent in Africa and tropic regions of southeast Asia and South America. That's because mosquitos thrive in warm, wet climates.But as climate change raises temperatures and alters precipitation trends, their range is expanding and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/marylander-caught-malaria-first-locally-acquired-case-years-2023-8">shifting to new geographic areas</a>. For example, a disease-carrying species of mosquito from South America appeared in Florida in 2021.Additionally, studies have shown warmer temperatures can speed up a mosquito's growth, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/treatments/how-to-get-rid-of-mosquito-bites">biting rates</a>, and the incubation of disease inside them.This means that climate change could cause mosquito-borne illnesses to spread to new places, and increase case numbers worldwide. Some evidence suggests that we're already seeing this happen.In 2023, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/locally-transmitted-florida-malaria-texas-first-time-in-20-years-2023-6">Florida and Texas</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2023/08/mosquito-diseases-move">saw</a> their first cases of locally-transmitted malaria in 20 years. And In Europe, dengue outbreaks <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/news-events/increasing-risk-mosquito-borne-diseases-eueea-following-spread-aedes-species">spiked</a> significantly in 2022, largely driven by heat waves and flooding.So, we can expect mosquitoes to stick around for a long time if warming continues.<h2 id="3dfabded-046d-43ca-b390-acecf7c0dd7b">Ticks are staying active year-round now that winters are more mild</h2><div type="image" title="deer tick" height="775" width="1200" msid="112024670" hostid="261" sizebytes="59408"></div>Move over mosquitos, there's another blood-sucking insect taking our warming world by storm.Ticks thrive in warm, humid climates. They typically remain dormant during the winter, but as this season grows milder, they're staying active year-round. They're also emerging earlier and feeding longer throughout the year.Additionally, warmer temperatures are <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/asian-longhorned-ticks-kill-cattle-spread-disease-2023-11">expanding their range</a> northward into areas where they were previously uncommon, including northeastern states such as Vermont.That's bad news for human health, because like mosquitos, ticks carry dangerous diseases. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/25-year-old-man-died-misdiagnosed-lyme-disease-infected-heart-2023-2">Lyme disease</a>, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis are just a few examples of tick-borne illnesses. All three of them can become serious if left untreated.In the US, cases of Lyme disease have nearly doubled since 1991, with the Northeast seeing the sharpest rise in cases. Studies suggest climate change has contributed significantly to this increase. And another 2023 study found that ticks are more resilient to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/southwest-airlines-flight-attendants-extreme-heat-safety-exploding-soda-cans-2024-7">extreme temperatures</a> than scientists previously believed.All of this suggests ticks are weathering climate change with little issue and they'll likely stick around as temperatures continue to rise.If you live in an area where ticks are present, it's a good idea to take preventative measures against them year-round. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-10-riskiest-states-for-pet-dog-cat-illness-2024-5">And that goes for your pets too</a>. But you should still be extra vigilant from April to September when ticks are most active.

Rats, roaches, and other creatures are winning against climate change, and it's bad news for humans

Black homeowners in Houston say they're still patching up holes in their floors nearly five years after Hurricane Harvey

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Half of plant and animal species could be threatened if global temperatures rise 4 degrees Celsius.</li><li>A new climate report warns of mass <keyword id="13293387" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="extinctions" source="Orion">extinctions</keyword> of <keyword id="11897851" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="animals" source="Orion">animals</keyword>, including <keyword id="13132073" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="polar-bears" source="Orion">polar bears</keyword> and penguins.</li></ul>Hundreds of species have been wiped out by extreme heat or warming oceans, but few global animal extinctions have been directly linked to <keyword id="11896311" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="climate-change" source="Orion">climate change</keyword>.In 2009, a combination of sea-level rise and storm surge in the Great Barrier Reef led to the disappearance of the Bramble Cay mosaic-tailed rat. Seven years later, the species became <a href="https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/extinction-countdown/climate-change-claims-its-first-mammal-extinction/">the first mammal to go extinct due to human-induced climate change</a>.The world can expect many more climate-related extinctions in coming decades if global temperatures continue to rise. That's according to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/climate-change-alter-human-life-un-ipcc-report-2022-2">a report</a> released Monday by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a <keyword id="11893452" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="un" source="Orion">UN</keyword> body that summarizes years of research on the climate crisis.If global temperatures reach 4 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels — a scenario that assumes very high levels of greenhouse gas emissions — half of our plant and animal species could be threatened, according to the report. At that level of warming, the world could see mass mortalities and extinctions that permanently alter rainforests, kelp forests, and tropical coral reefs.Even if global temperatures reach 1.5 degrees Celsius, the report found, up to 14% of land species could face high risk of extinction. Human-caused emissions have already led the planet to warm by 1.1 degrees Celsius in the last 170 years, last year's portion of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/still-time-to-address-climate-change-ipcc-scientists-report-2021-8">IPCC report</a> found.Under 2 degrees of warming, up 18% of land species could be at high risk of extinction. That risk rises to up to 29% under 3 degrees of warming, up to 39% at 4 degrees, and up to 48% at 5 degrees.<div type="image" title="endangered frog" height="1600" width="2400" msid="89951597" hostid="261"></div>Invertebrate species face one of the highest risks of extinction from mid-levels of warming (3.2 degrees Celsius), according to the report. Under this scenario, 15% of invertebrates — including 24% of salamanders and 11% of amphibians — could go extinct.No matter what happens to global temperatures, the report said, the extinction of species is an irreversible impact of climate change.<h2>Arctic penguins, seals, and polar bears are at risk of extinction</h2><div type="image" title="polar bear arctic" height="1728" width="2432" msid="89951600" hostid="261"></div>Species in cold areas, including high mountains or polar regions, face a particularly high extinction risk.Arctic animals such as penguins, seals, and polar bears would be seriously threatened by 2 degrees of warming or less, according to the report. The animals have evolved to live on sea ice, which is rapidly retreating due to rising temperatures. The report predicts that sea ice will completely disappear in summertime within the next century.That means some Arctic animals could go extinct in coming decades, unless they're moved to new locations.But relocating animals to foreign habitats is tricky: For instance, moving polar bears to Antarctica could lead them to prey on local penguin populations there. In some cases, animal species may need to be moved to zoos to keep them from dying out.Tropical areas face their own threats, such as heatwaves destroying coral reefs and mangroves. Up to 90% of tropical coral reefs could be lost by mid-century under 1.5 degrees of warming, the report found, while the reefs could go entirely extinct under 2 degrees of warming.<h2>Animal extinctions could threaten human health, too</h2><div type="image" title="fish market Seychelles" height="3360" width="5040" msid="89951602" hostid="261"></div>In some cases, the extinction of animal species can topple entire ecosystems.Ecosystems <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/biodiversity/intro/index_en.htm">depend on biodiversity</a> — a variety of plants, animals, and other organisms — to protect them from pollution, <keyword id="12019615" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="extreme-weather" source="Orion">extreme weather</keyword>, and temperature shifts. But if one species dies out, it makes it harder for others to survive. Loss of biodiversity can, in turn, lead to crop failure and water scarcity, according to the report.Just a half-degree of additional warming could mean the difference between whether a species stays alive or not.The <keyword id="6941656" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ipcc" source="Orion">IPCC</keyword> authors found that the extinction risk for local species in biodiversity hotspots could double between 1.5 degrees and 2 degrees of warming, and increase at least 10-fold from 1.5 degrees to 3 degrees.The death of animal species has consequences for humans, too.More than 400 million people in Africa and Asia depend on fisheries for protein. Even if warming doesn't exceed 1.6 degrees, fisheries in Africa's tropical regions could lose up to 41% of their yield by the end of the century due to the extinction of local marine fish.Commonly consumed fish like sardines and herring could also face extinction as oceans warm. "This matters for human well-being as well," David Dodman, a lead author of the report and director of human settlements at the International Institute for Environment and Development, told Insider."So many people around the world still rely on very close interactions with natural ecosystems to provide them with food and to provide them with livelihoods."

UN report warns of climate-related mass extinctions, including the disappearance of penguins and polar bears

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Up to 3.6 billion people are highly vulnerable to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/climate-disaster-death-toll-688-people-cost-145-billion-2021-2022-1">climate change</a>, a new UN report says.</li><li>Warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius or more could drastically alter our physical health, the places we live, and the survival of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-animals-added-to-extinction-list-birds-fish-mollusks-2021-10">animal species</a>.</li></ul>Rising global temperatures bring dire threats, such as <keyword id="48088" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="floods" source="Orion">floods</keyword>, heat-related injuries, water scarcity, and hunger, making up to 3.6 billion people — nearly half of the world's population — highly vulnerable to <keyword id="11896311" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="climate-change" source="Orion">climate change</keyword>.That's according to a major report, released Monday, from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change — a UN body that recruits hundreds of scientists from across the globe to summarize years of research on the climate crisis. "We are in an emergency headed for a disaster," Inger Andersen, executive director of the <keyword id="11896449" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="united-nations" source="Orion">United Nations</keyword> Environment Program, said at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpK7eeYRhjQ">a Monday press conference</a>."Climate change isn't lurking around the corner ready to pounce," she said, adding, "It's already upon us, raining down blows on billions of people."Human-caused emissions have already led the planet to warm by 1.1 degrees Celsius in the last 170 years. The report drills down on how 1.5 degrees of warming or more could drastically alter our physical health, food and water supply, the availability of safe places to live, and the survival of animal species.<div type="image" title="heat wave" height="2471" width="3600" msid="89908871" hostid="261"></div><h2>Here are some of the report's main takeaways:</h2><ul><li>By 2050, more than 1 billion people in low-lying coastal cities and small islands will be at risk of climate hazards from sea-level rise.</li><li>Under 1.5 degrees of <keyword id="6366055" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="global-warming" source="Orion">global warming</keyword>, children ages 10 and younger as of 2020 could experience a nearly four-fold increase in extreme weather events by 2100. </li><li>The percentage of people exposed to deadly heat stress (i.e., heat stroke) could increase from 30% today to 76% by the end of the century.</li><li>Under 2 degrees of global warming, between 800 million and 3 billion people could experience chronic water scarcity due to droughts. That figure could climb to 4 billion people if global temperatures rise 4 degrees.</li><li>Eight million to 80 million people will suffer from hunger by 2050. Under a high-warming scenario, up to 183 million additional people in low-income countries could become undernourished due to climate change.</li><li>Under 2 degrees of warming, up to 18% of all land species will be at high risk of going extinct by 2100. Under 4 degrees of warming, half of our plant and animal species could be threatened.</li></ul>Monday's release is the second portion of the <keyword id="6941656" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ipcc" source="Orion">IPCC</keyword>'s sixth assessment. The first portion, released last year, focused on physical changes to the planet. The new report assesses how those changes will impact humans and ecosystems.While some climate outcomes are preventable, others set in stone. Last year's portion of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/still-time-to-address-climate-change-ipcc-scientists-report-2021-8">IPCC report</a> found that glaciers will continue melting and seas will continue to rise for hundreds or thousands of years."The world we live in today is not going to be the world we live in five years, 10 years, or even 20 years from now," Debra Roberts, the co-chair of the IPCC report, said at the press conference. "We have to be much more vigilant about our actions."<h2>How can the world adapt?</h2><div type="image" title="farmer walks through field of dried brown soybean plants" height="1667" width="2500" msid="89908872" hostid="261"></div>Governments and industries have taken some measures to adapt to their new climates and prepare for impacts to come. The agricultural sector, for example, is broadly improving irrigation practices to prepare for water scarcity across the globe. And in some regions like West Africa, farmers are planting more drought-tolerant crops.But the IPCC report concludes that these adaptations are not enough to protect ecosystems and humans from the onslaught of extreme weather, rising oceans, and food and water shortages.The report recommends restoring wetlands along flood plains to absorb floodwaters, and planting trees along rivers to create shade and prevent them from drying up. Farmers may also consider diversifying their crops and livestock so they aren't dependent on a single food source. Adding green space to rooftops and walls in cities can help cool temperatures and reduce stormwater runoff. Parks and ponds can help mitigate <keyword id="12137269" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="extreme-heat" source="Orion">extreme heat</keyword> in urban areas. And a diverse array of renewable-energy sources, like wind, solar, and hydroelectric power, can support rural populations in the face of extreme weather."The tricky thing is that there is no silver bullet. There is no one action that's going to solve everything," David Dodman, a lead author of the report and director of human settlements at the International Institute for Environment and Development, told Insider.<div type="image" title="seven adults wade through tropical storm harvey floodwaters carrying children and bags" height="1578" width="2400" msid="89908873" hostid="261"></div>Since every half-degree of global temperature rise carries major consequences, governments and industries can significantly reduce future human suffering and ecosystem collapse by cutting their greenhouse-gas emissions now.But that also means there's little time to waste."The world is currently underprepared for the coming climate change impacts, particularly beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius," the IPCC authors wrote, adding, "At higher levels of warming, the effectiveness of most land- and water-based adaptation options starts declining, and the extent of residual risks increases, as do the chances of future unintended consequences."<h2>Rising temperatures could displace millions of people</h2><div type="image" title="woman in headscarf squats to collect grain" height="1875" width="2500" msid="89908874" hostid="261"></div>If global temperatures exceed 2 degrees of warming, low-lying coastal cities and certain mountain areas or polar regions may have difficulty supporting human life.Changes in temperature, sea level, and food or water supply are already forcing people to relocate on every continent. For example, more people move from Mexico's rural areas into cities during droughts. Some communities in Alaska are making relocation plans as flooding encroaches on their homes. Droughts are also driving migration in sub-Saharan Africa, parts of South Asia, and South America, according to the report. The IPCC authors expect more Arctic communities, particularly indigenous peoples, to migrate as ice melt interferes with their ability to live and hunt.<div type="image" title="nenets indigenous woman in winter coat stands with reindeer herd in russian tundra" height="1681" width="2241" msid="89908875" hostid="261"></div>The report also predicts that hundreds of millions of people will be at risk of climate-related displacement by the second half of the 21st century. Eventually, people may pay a premium to live in climate-safe locations."There's concern over climate gentrification, where safer locations that formerly were home to lower-income groups in cities become more desirable, because of their perceived safety from climate risks and therefore the regional inhabitants begin to be priced out," Dodman said, adding, "I think that's a legitimate concern for the future."

Unlivable cities, refugees, extinct animals: UN climate report warns of drastic changes in coming decades

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A new <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ac2e6bhttps://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ac2e6b">study</a> describes what would happen to global <keyword id="12343639" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="landmarks" source="Orion">landmarks</keyword> under various degrees of sea-level rise.</li><li>In the best-case scenario, sea levels would rise nearly 10 feet in the next 200 to 2,000 years.</li></ul>Several times each year, the tide in Venice, Italy, rises more than 2 feet above the average sea level. Sometimes, this results in mild <keyword id="11919825" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="flooding" source="Orion">flooding</keyword> - inconvenient puddles along the sidewalk. But in certain years, like 2019, floods can swallow the city, damaging infrastructure and costing lives.More cities will need to prepare for that reality as global temperatures climb, and sea levels rise along with them. A recent report from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on <keyword id="11896311" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="climate-change" source="Orion">Climate Change</keyword> (IPCC) found that human-caused emissions have already led the planet to warm by 1.1 degrees Celsius in the last 170 years. When global temperatures rise, ice sheets and glaciers melt, sending water into the ocean. Water also naturally expands as it warms, which raises the average sea level.The IPCC report warned that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/climate-change-impacts-to-last-millennia-ipcc-report-2021-8">sea levels will continue to rise for centuries to millennia</a>, no matter what happens next. A <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ac2e6bhttps://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ac2e6b">new study</a> from Climate Central, a nonprofit research group, suggests that 4 degrees of warming could lead to nearly 30 feet of sea-level rise over the next 200 to 2,000 years. In that worst-case scenario, according to the researchers, the resulting flooding would force at least 50 major cities to either start emptying out or mount unprecedented defenses against the water. High tides could encroach on land hosting 15% of the global population (about 1 billion people).If the world continues on its current emissions path, global temperatures are projected to climb 3 degrees, which would cause seas to rise nearly 21 feet. In that case, more than 800 million people could be vulnerable to sea-level rise - and many the world's most important landmarks could be submerged in water.Some of that can still be avoided, though. Under the best-case scenario, global temperatures would climb just 1.5 degrees Celsius over the next 200 to 2,000 years, leading to around 10 feet of sea-level rise. But that would require major systemic changes to cut emissions, since the world is currently on track to exceed 1.5 degrees of warming in the 2030s, according to the IPCC. Plus, even under that limited amount of warming, the Climate Central researchers estimate that 510 million people would be vulnerable to sea-level rise.The graphics below show how landmarks such as the Burj Khalifa and Statue of Liberty would look under 3 degrees of warming.<h2>Rising seas pose a particular threat to Asian landmarks</h2>The Climate Central study estimates that Asian countries - particularly China, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam - are most vulnerable to sea-level rise.The Temple of Literature in Hanoi, Vietnam, wouldn't experience any flooding under 1.5 degrees of warming, but it would under 3 degrees. Toggle back and forth on the image below to see the difference. Floods would swallow the entrance to the Lungshan Temple in Taipei, Taiwan, if global sea levels rose nearly 21 feet.The streets below the Lujiazui skyscrapers in Shanghai would also be covered in water. The study estimates that 83% of Shanghai's population is vulnerable to flooding under 1.5 degrees of warming, and 94% is vulnerable under 3 degrees.If emissions continue on their current path, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai could wind up wading in water, too.And the Lalbagh Fort in Dhaka, Bangladesh would no longer be accessible on foot. Half of Dhaka's population is vulnerable to flooding under 1.5 degrees of warming. Under 3 degrees of warming, that figures rises to 82%.<h2>Landmarks in the US, Europe, and South America are also vulnerable</h2>In the US, coastal cities like New York are particularly vulnerable to flooding. Based on the level of warming (1.1 degrees Celsius) alone, nearly 4% of New York City's population will experience flooding over the next 200 to 2,000 years . That figure could rise to 19% under 3 degrees of warming, which would leave the base of the Statue of Liberty inundated. On the opposite coast, the Santa Monica Pier in California could disappear underwater if sea levels rose nearly 21 feet globally.The UK's Buckingham Palace could get partially swallowed. The warming we've already seen means around 5% of the UK's population will be vulnerable to flooding over the coming centuries. With 3 degrees of warming, that share would jump to 11%.If emissions continue on their current path, pedestrians would no longer be able to stroll through Aristotelous Square in Thessaloniki, Greece.Nor would they be able to enter the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia.Under 3 degrees of warming, water could form a moat around the Plaza de España in Seville, Spain. Nearly 4% of Spain's population is vulnerable to flooding under 1.5 degrees of warming, according to the study. That figure rises to 8% under 3 degrees of warming.A few landmarks, like the Plaza de la Catedral in Havana, Cuba, could get swallowed up entirely.But there's still time: The study estimates that cutting emissions in half by 2030 could limit warming to just 1.5 degrees. In that case, the authors write, widespread flooding "may be limited to a handful of locations."

Before-and-after images of landmarks around the world show the devastating sea-level rise that's coming

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The polar <keyword id="12229471" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="jet-stream" source="Orion">jet stream</keyword> is a band of wind that separates cold Arctic air from warmer air to the south.</li><li>A new study suggests that as the Earth warms, this band is moving north and out of position.</li><li>That could cause more droughts and heat waves in southern Europe and the eastern US.</li></ul>The polar jet stream circles the northern hemisphere, swirling up to nine miles above our heads like a curvy, ethereal crown on the planet.This band of strong wind separates cold air from the Arctic from warmer air to the south, and it's responsible for transporting <keyword id="11911086" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="weather" source="Orion">weather</keyword> from west to east across the US, over the Atlantic, and into Europe. It controls how wet and warm these regions are.But according to <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/118/38/e2104105118">a recent study</a>, the jet stream is shifting north as global temperatures rise. That's because the delicate balance of warm and cold air that keeps the stream in place is getting disturbed. If greenhouse-gas emissions continue unabated, the study found, the jet stream will break out of its normal range by 2060."The 'onset' of the jet stream's northward migration may have already begun," Matthew Osman, a researcher at the University of Arizona's Climate Systems Center who co-authored the study, told Insider.That would wreak havoc on weather in the northern hemisphere, bringing more extreme events like droughts and heat waves to southern Europe and the eastern US. More rain and flooding are expected in northern parts of Europe and Scandinavia, Osman said.<h2>A migrating jet stream</h2><div type="image" title="Jet stream" height="344" width="637" msid="86707217" hostid="261"></div>The North Atlantic jet stream exists and is held in place thanks to the clash between warm air zooming north from the tropics and cold air in the Arctic. Once these air masses meet, they move east at 110 miles per hour, driven by the Earth's rotation. But rising air temperatures mess with that hustle and flow. The Arctic is warming twice as fast, on average, as the rest of the planet. So that warm air travels farther north before it finds cold air, which leads the jet stream's position to migrate toward higher latitudes.Osman noted that the jet stream is capricious; the band's location is constantly shifting as the temperature differential that causes it fluctuates. But his study took the long view, examining the stream's location over the last 1,250 years. To reconstruct that past behavior, the researchers looked at ice core samples from 50 sites on the Greenland Ice Sheet that date back to the 8th century. The cores revealed how much snow had fallen, and when.Then, using climate models, the team simulated where the jet stream might move over the next four decades if greenhouse-gas emissions continue at their present rate. The results showed that the wind band's current movement threatens to exceed any previous shift.It's expected to significantly deviate from the norm, with potentially devastating consequences."By pushing the jet stream outside its already large natural range, we could be exposing ourselves to increasingly severe climate risks in the future," Osman said.<h2>More droughts and flooding could be coming</h2><div type="image" title="heat wave" height="683" width="1024" msid="86707219" hostid="261"></div>Osman's study suggests that the jet stream's migration will likely cause the US East Coast to warm more quickly than it already is. And both North America and Europe will experience more droughts and heat waves."Europe, on the downstream end of the North Atlantic jet, will feel these effects most acutely," Osman said. In particular, semi-arid regions of southern Europe could become more arid. Parts of northern Europe that already have a wetter, milder climates, like Scandinavia, could become even wetter. That additional rainfall would prompt more floods like the ones that plagued Europe this summer.<h2>Changes in the jet stream could affect polar vortices, too</h2><div type="image" title="polar vortex jet stream" height="441" width="600" msid="86707221" hostid="261"></div>Some scientists think that warming will also make the jet stream wavier than it already is. The jet stream's path is meandering and sinusoidal because not all warm air moves north at the same rate, nor does all polar air travel south uniformly. Hence the many waves in the wind band.But a <a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/lookup/doi/10.1126/science.abi9167">study published last month</a> suggests that melting Arctic sea ice could increase the intensity and size of those deviating bulges. When that sea ice melts, more heat and moisture move from Earth's surface up toward space. That acts like a rock thrown into the pond of the atmosphere - it creates strong ripples above the Arctic that deform the jet stream. This creates wiggles that push extraordinarily cold air toward the equator.<div type="image" title="winter storm texas snow" height="1333" width="2000" msid="86707222" hostid="261"></div>So a more wobbly jet stream, consequently, increases the chances of intense winter storms and cold snaps in the US. Examples of this extreme <keyword id="12229470" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="winter-weather" source="Orion">winter weather</keyword> include <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/polar-vortex-dangers-why-it-happens-2019-1?utm_source=intl&amp;utm_medium=ingestgest">the polar-vortex event that struck the US in 2019</a> and the winter storm that left millions of Texans without power in February. "If the jet stream's waviness increases in the future, this might imply that extreme events such as the <keyword id="12229469" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="polar-vortex" source="Orion">polar vortex</keyword> could also become more frequent," Osman said.

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