Author: Laxsumi Ananthakumaraswamy, Research and Development Officer
“The top ten hottest years on record have happened in the last ten years.” – António Guterres UN Secretary-General.
For the first time, global temperatures surpassed the 1.5°C Paris Agreement target for 12 consecutive months between July 2023 and June 2024, with an average temperature of 1.64°C above the pre-industrial levels. Additionally, due to abnormally high temperatures recorded in the latter half of the year, 2024 has become the hottest year on record.
The devastating impacts of global warming and climate change are being felt worldwide, leading to escalating and intensifying climate-induced natural disasters, including droughts, floods, hurricanes, heatwaves, and wildfires. In addition to these heightened hydrometeorological and climatological disasters, sea levels are rising.
Climate change threatens every aspect of society, the economy, the environment, and the fabric of humanity. A report published by the International Chamber of Commerce revealed nearly 4000 climate-related events occurred globally between 2014 and 2023 impacting 1.6 billion people and costing the global economy USD 2 trillion. Consequently, escalating climate-induced natural disasters have resulted in a 19% increase in global economic loss in 2022 and 2023 alone, accounting for a USD 451 billion loss. Similarly, the climate-related death toll has seen a substantial rise with 60% of deaths recorded in 2022 and 2023, compared to the previous eight years studied (increased reporting has contributed to the rise in documented climate-related deaths).
The impacts of climate change are not felt equally around the world. Developing countries and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are disproportionately affected. One of the root causes of this disparity is poverty. Developing countries and SIDS frequently lack the resources and finances to minimise the impacts of disasters and recover in their aftermath. Consequently, they face severe cascading effects when climate-induced disasters occur, commonly leading to the loss of human life, infrastructure damage, loss of livelihoods, socio-economic disruption, and displacement; perpetuating a cycle of poverty.
Certain communities and groups, including children, the elderly, people with disabilities, and women, experience pronounced suffering after catastrophic disasters due to intersecting forms of inequalities. Additionally, Indigenous communities feel the adverse impacts of climate-induced disasters as they commonly rely on nature’s goods and services to sustain their livelihoods.
How is Climate Change Impacting Global Development?
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the UN and all its member states in 2015, aim to create a peaceful, sustainable, and prosperous world for everyone by 2030, allowing present and future generations to thrive. The SDGs consist of 17 goals and 169 targets, calling developed and developing countries for urgent collective action to end poverty, make education and healthcare universal and free, and reduce inequalities while combating climate change and conserving the environment. Individual goals are deeply interconnected, with overlapping social, economic, and environmental dimensions.
Climate change exacerbates systemic inequalities and disrupts sustainable development. With five years remaining to achieve the SDGs, climate change presents one of the biggest challenges to achieving the goals. Not only does climate change hinder advancements towards the SDGs but it can reverse progress already made. In 2024, only 17% of global targets have been met or are on track to being met; significant progress is urgently needed.
There is still hope for turning things around. Urgent and collective climate action is imperative to enhance climate resilience and help achieve the SDGs by 2030:
- Climate Finance— Addressing gaps in global climate finance is crucial for every country to implement effective adaptation and mitigation strategies. Developed countries must uphold the New Collective Quantified Goal of $300 billion annually by 2035. Funding will help accelerate climate action in developing countries, eradicate poverty and promote sustainable development.
- Climate Adaptation—Implementing sustainable context-specific adaptation can help alleviate the impacts of climate-induced disasters and build more resilient communities. Including vulnerable populations and marginalised voices in policy-making processes, particularly in research, is essential to creating equitable and sustainable adaptation strategies. This may involve community-based adaptation approaches and nature-based solutions.
- Climate Mitigation— Reducing greenhouse gas emissions can help reduce the risk of climate-related disasters. This can be achieved by transitioning to renewable energy sources, improving transportation through electrification, and protecting and restoring forests that capture carbon.
Sources
https://21stcenturychallenges.org/who-are-most-vulnerable-to-natural-hazards/