The United Nations (U.N.) has been at the forefront of discussing the environmental and humanitarian impacts of climate change. At the 2019 U.N. Climate Action Summit, António Guterres, the U.N. Secretary-General, emphasized that climate change is “the defining issue of our time” and called for urgent action.
One of the critical environmental impacts discussed is the increase in global temperatures. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the planet has already warmed by approximately 1.1 degrees Celsius since the pre-industrial era. This warming trend contributes to more frequent and severe weather events, such as hurricanes, droughts, and heatwaves. For instance, the 2019-2020 Australian bushfires were exacerbated by prolonged drought and extreme heat, leading to the destruction of over 18 million hectares of land.
Another significant environmental impact is the rise in sea levels. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) reports that global sea levels have risen by about 8 inches since 1880, with about a third of that increase occurring in just the last 25 years. This rise poses a threat to coastal communities worldwide, including vulnerable regions like the Maldives.
Humanitarian impacts are equally concerning. Climate change disproportionately affects the most vulnerable populations, exacerbating issues like food insecurity and displacement. The World Food Programme (WFP) has highlighted that climate change is a key driver of global hunger. In 2019, over 820 million people were suffering from hunger, with climate-related disasters playing a significant role.
Displacement due to climate change is another pressing issue. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) reported that in 2019 alone, 24.9 million people were displaced by weather-related disasters. This phenomenon is particularly evident in regions like South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, where communities are often forced to migrate due to flooding or prolonged drought.
The U.N. has also discussed the potential for climate change to exacerbate conflicts. A report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) suggests that resource scarcity, driven by climate change, can lead to tensions and violence. For example, the Syrian Civil War has been partly attributed to prolonged droughts that displaced rural populations and strained urban resources.
Furthermore, the Paris Agreement is a landmark international accord aimed at mitigating climate change. Adopted in 2015, it seeks to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. However, the U.N. has noted that current national commitments are insufficient to meet this target. The Emissions Gap Report by UNEP indicates that even if all current pledges are met, the world is still on track for a temperature rise of 3 degrees Celsius by the end of the century.
In summary, the U.N. discussions underscore the urgent need for comprehensive and coordinated action to address the environmental and humanitarian impacts of climate change. These impacts range from rising temperatures and sea levels to increased hunger and displacement, highlighting the global and multifaceted nature of the crisis.