A new report from international IPCC climate scientists once again highlights how vulnerable people have become to climate change. The warming of 1.1°C has already had significant impacts on natural and human systems, including in Europe.
About 3.6 billion people (almost half of the world’s population!) live in areas experiencing particularly strong global warming, such as West and Central Africa, Latin America, Asian countries, conflict zones like Afghanistan and Syria, but also Europe and the US.
Additionally, billions of people are affected by water shortages, deteriorating air quality, and food shortages, the experts write.
270 scientists from 67 countries confirm the economic damage caused by climate change to agriculture and forestry, fisheries, energy, and tourism. With a global warming of around 2°C, scientists expect meltwater in river basins to decrease by up to 20%.
Worldwide glacier loss also reduces water availability for agriculture, hydropower, and human settlements in the medium to long term. Experts say these changes are expected to double with global warming of 4°C.
Measures to combat warming are unavoidable. Even with drastic reductions in CO2 emissions, climate change will not end.
Limiting global warming to a maximum of 1.5°C would not eliminate the damage but would at least reduce it, according to the report that is published every six years.