More frequent and intense drought, storms, heat waves, rising sea levels, melting glaciers and warming oceans can directly harm animals, destroy the places they live, and wreak havoc on people's livelihoods and communities. As climate change worsens, dangerous weather events are becoming more frequent or severe.
Why is climate change a global problem?
Rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, sea level increases, altered bushfire dynamics and extreme weather events will retard economic development and pose increasingly severe threats to agriculture, international security, infrastructure, water security and energy systems.
Why is addressing climate change important?
Increases in pests and diseases and more frequent and intense droughts and floods, reduce the availability of food. Heat-stress causes poor yields, or worse, crop failures. Reducing short-lived climate pollutants gives us our best chance to rapidly limit global temperature rise and reduce the risks to food security.
What will happen if we don't protect the environment?
As ecosystems unravel, the quality of life for all species, including humans, will diminish. When ecosystems are compromised, the natural goods that they provide clean air and water, crop pollination, and storm protection inevitably will decline.11 Mar 2020
How are humans affected by climate change?
Climate change is already impacting human health. Changes in weather and climate patterns can put lives at risk. Heat is one of the most deadly weather phenomena. As ocean temperatures rise, hurricanes are getting stronger and wetter, which can cause direct and indirect deaths.1 Feb 2019