My contribution (limit: 150 words) on the most significant issue in the 21st Century, for an upcoming publication by the Strategic Foresight Group. Here is their previous publication on the topic
Climate Change – the defining issue of our time
By Luis Alberto Fierro
Without a doubt, the defining issue of the 21st Century, and centuries to come, is climate change. The emission of greenhouse gases has already caused an increase of 0.8 C degrees since pre-industrial times, and future forecasts range from 2 to 6 degrees.
Even an increase of 2 degrees, which most climate scientists consider inevitable, will have devastating consequences. Forecasts regarding the rise of the sea level range from 1 to 6 meters; one meter would be devastating, 6 meters would be catastrophic. Hundreds of millions of people would be displaced (especially in China, India and Bangladesh), at least four nations would disappear (Kiribati, Maldives, Marshall Islands, and Tuvalu), tropical cyclones would increase in intensity, and climate-related events would cause trillions of dollars in losses and damage annually.
Given the magnitude of the problem, additional progress needs to be made, within and outside the UNFCCC negotiation process, to effectively address climate mitigation, adaptation and finance
Since this was written (less than a month ago) the average global temperature crossed the 1 degree C increase threshold.
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