Climate Change and Its Implications for Future Generations: An Introduction to the Issues

Author: Daniel Kwawuvi, Ph.D., PIEMA , National Climate Fellow

If we fail to come to an agreement on the numerous discussions surrounding climate change and? how to address it, future generations will be burdened with significant costs. The impacts of? climate change are continuous and have long-term consequences. In response, the United Nations General Assembly in 1987 defined sustainable development as "development that meets the? needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their? own needs" . This definition emphasizes the importance of balancing economic development and? environmental preservation to ensure sustainable progress and long-term environmental wellbeing.?

Ways Future Generations Could Be Affected?

• Water quality and demand: Water is an essential resource for the survival of humans.? However, this crucial resource is at risk of being scarce, unreliable, and polluted due to the harmful activities of man. According to UN-Water, over a fifth of the world’s basins experienced increases or decreases in surface water area between 2000 and 2018, an? indication of flooding and drought. While flooding can have a detrimental impact on vegetation and prevent plant growth due to the sedimentation and erosion it causes,? drought can also increase the risk of wildfires and sandstorms, which can inflame lungs and airways.?
• Energy demand: Energy provides fuel for multiple purposes, such as cooking, transportation, and heating and cooling. Although energy production is essential for our? daily comfort and well-being, it also significantly contributes to climate change . For? instance, coal continues to be the primary source of fuel for electricity around the world,? despite its high carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions when burned. An early investigation of? 2023 data revealed emissions increased by 1.1% compared to 2022, totaling 36.8 billion? metric tons of CO2. Growing amounts of warming greenhouse gases, like carbon? dioxide, are the root cause of global warming.?
• Economic activities and services: The recent environmental events without doubt? continue to reveal the extent to which future generations could be impacted by these? occurrences. The rise in global temperatures, for example, has become a destructive force? for economic activities such as recreation and tourism, fishing, and more. The warmer? temperatures raise questions about how travel and tourism may be affected in regions that depend largely on these industries for their economies, such as the Caribbean .?
• Agriculture: Agriculture is an important sector of domestic and global economies and is? heavily reliant on a stable climate to function properly. Nonetheless, variations in rainfall? and temperature could lengthen the growing season , thereby affecting overall crop production as well as disrupting the timeline of water availability and growing patterns for many crops. Also, rising temperatures are expected to lead to shifts in the habitat ranges of numerous fish species potentially causing disruption to ecosystems .
• Extreme weather events: Worldwide, climate change has and continues to be a serious issue that significantly impacts development efforts and environmental management capacities. The impact of climate change is seen most urgently in the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as extreme heat, severe storm, wildfire, flooding, sea level rise, among others. Phoenix, Arizona's Maricopa local, for instance, had 645 heat-related deaths in 2023, the highest number historically for just one year and a 52% rise over 2022, according to the local Department of Public Health. Research further indicates that each 1oC (1.8o Fahrenheit) rise is estimated to increase heart disease death rates by 2.8%. Deaths from stroke and heart attacks due to extreme heat could triple by 2050 as the climate continues to warm in the USA. Additionally, the U.S. National Centers for Environmental Information reported that the USA has experienced approximately 391 confirmed weather and climate disaster events between 1980 and 2024 (as of July 9, 2024). 31 droughts, 44 floods incidents, 4 freeze incidents, 199 severe storms, 62 tropical cyclones, 22 wildfires, and 24 winter storms were among these occurrences. 16,456 individuals died as a result of each of these incidents, and losses surpassing $1 billion were sustained. Besides these, sea level rise – a result of warmer temperatures is predicted to increase between 1 and 4 ft by 2100, with a potential range from 0.66 to 6.6 ft .?

It is therefore vital to pay close attention to climate change and its impacts due to the intricate? connection between a country's economic stability and the sustainability of the environment.? Taking proactive measures to address climate change is crucial to ensuring the long-term well being of the economy and the environment.??

Our Options?

• Governments should prioritize environmental awareness by implementing energy? emission audits. Australia has set a high standard with its National Energy? Emission Audit System , which effectively monitors emissions.?
• Countries should invest and improve climate resilient measures. This should involve effective coordination among various agencies, and various disciplines to establish better management systems.??
• Organizations should deliver their services in an environmentally friendly manner? throughout their supply chain, keeping in mind the environmental impacts of individual product life cycle stages, so as to reduce environmental impacts from these activities.?

Conclusion?

The tireless efforts of the world to expand manufacturing industries, agriculture, and shift from? rural to urban development, etc., must consider the health of the atmosphere and environment. Although expansion in these sectors contributes to economic development, they also result in environmental pollution, contributing to climate change. Ongoing policy debates aimed at safeguarding the world from the destructive effects of climate change need to be supported by genuine and meaningful actions. The future viability of our planet hinges on nations' capacity to effectively strategize and oversee their environmental resources for sustainable economic progress. Although sectors like agriculture, water, energy, etc. can be significantly influenced by the changing climate, they can also be protected through the strict implementation of climate-resilient practices.