The study gives the example of Dhaka, Bangladesh, where under a very high emissions scenario by 2100, additional deaths from climate change could nearly double the country’s current annual mortality rate due to all cancers and 10 times more road traffic deaths each year. .
“Due to human action, carbon dioxide concentrations in our atmosphere are reaching dangerous levels, driving Earth’s temperature higher and amplifying the frequency and intensity of extreme events,” the new report said. given. Human climate horizon platform, adding that without coordinated and urgent action, climate change will exacerbate inequality and uneven development.
Impact on death
Based on analyzes of the Human Development Reports 2020, 2021 and 2022 – and powered by a growing line of frontier research – the data shows how climate change could impact to people’s lives – from mortality to livelihoods and energy use.
Although higher temperatures and warmer climates put the cardiovascular and respiratory systems under strain everywhere, outcomes will vary from place to place, depending on communities that have the resources to adapt and places where there are none.
Data shows that climate change could increase the mortality rate in Faisalabad, Pakistan by almost 67 deaths per 100,000 population – causing more deaths than stroke, the country’s third leading cause of death. .
However, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, higher incomes can put the death toll at 35 per 100,000 people, a figure higher than Alzheimer’s disease – the sixth leading cause of death globally. bridge.
Rising temperature
Since the end of 19order According to the study, the average temperature of the earth has increased by nearly 1.2°C, changing the entire surface area of the planet.
However, billions of people live in regions that have experienced greater warming than the global average.
The background points to Maracaibo, Venezuela, for example, noting that in the 1990s, it averaged 62 days annually with temperatures in excess of 35°C. By mid-century, however, that number is likely to go down. increased to 201 days.
Energy impact
The availability of electricity and the fuel used to generate it to power air conditioners and heaters, plays an important role in our ability to cope with extreme temperatures, UNDP said. ours, said UNDP.
The impacts of climate change vary across sectors of the economy – Human climate horizon
However, the impacts of climate change on energy use will vary from place to place, as individuals, communities and businesses adapt to conditions of use of available resources. .
In Jakarta, for example, electricity consumption due to warmer temperatures is projected to increase by about a third of current household consumption in Indonesia. This will require significant additional infrastructure planning.
Labor impact
More frequent and extreme temperature extremes also affect livelihoods, affect ability to perform tasks, and affect intensity and duration of work.
“The impact of climate change varies across sectors of the economy with workers in high-risk, weather-affected industries such as agriculture, construction, mining and manufacturing being affected. most affected,” according to the platform’s data.
In Niamey, Niger, in sectors such as construction, mining and manufacturing, extreme heat causes 36 fewer working hours annually, causing a 2.5 percent loss to the country’s future GDP.
In Niger, as in many other parts of the Sahel, climate shocks have resulted in recurrent droughts with devastating effects on the region’s already vulnerable populations.
Human consequences
Since the effects of climate change are not evenly distributed globally, they will create a significant increase in inequality in the years and decades to come.
But by emphasizing that the future is not predetermined, UNDP hopes information can empower people, everywhere, to step up climate action.
The mission of Human Climate Horizons is to ensure equal access to data on future impacts, inform decision making and help people understand the human consequences of climate change. in different situations.
‘Reasonable economic choice’
Meanwhile, UNDP has also launched How just switching can bring about the Paris Agreement This week’s report highlights the need to embrace a “green revolution” – or risk increasing social inequality, civil unrest, economic damage.
On the eve of the United Nations climate conference, COP27, which opens Sunday in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, reports spotlight the importance of a “fair and equal” transition to meeting the climate goals set out in Paris Agreement.
From providing workers with new green economy skills and access to social protection to ensuring that countries chart a clear path to a net-free future, says Achim Steiner, who stands UNDP head said the report provides “practical insights into how to accelerate the momentum around a fair and equitable transition for the energy sector and beyond”.
A family sits under a makeshift roof in Sindh province, Pakistan, after their home was damaged in a devastating flood.
A transformation only
The report analyzes both the enhanced short-term climate commitments, known as the Country-Determined Contribution (NDC), and long-term strategies in which countries devise plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions to zero.
Encouragingly, 72% of countries with an enhanced NDC mention an equitable transition linking them to socio-economic considerations, while 66% are recommending actions and Specific measures include climate justice.
However, they failed to create a link to Sustainable development goals (SDG) or gender equality in short- or long-term climate plans – are missing out on a significant opportunity, UNDP said.
“As climate change accelerates and the world faces a massive energy crisis… divesting from fossil fuels and investing in the green energy infrastructure of tomorrow…[is] Mr. Steiner said.
