Blog: Report: Climate Change Will Have Devastating Impact on People and Communities

Statement

On Monday, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its latest assessment on the impacts of a changing climate on our planet. This assessment is an exhaustive survey of the best available scientific, technical, and socioeconomic literature on the impacts and vulnerabilities from climate change. The evidence is clear:

Climate change is real and its impacts are already being felt by every nation across the planet.

The negative impacts of climate change are disproportionately borne by the poor and most vulnerable members of society.

Adaptation is important, but as emissions of carbon pollution increase, there will be impacts that exceed the ability to adapt.
"Nobody on this planet is going to be untouched by the impacts of climate change," declared Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the IPCC, during a press conference.

Here in the United States, climate change impacts can be seen in communities across the country. Farmers are seeing their crops destroyed by drought and families are seeing higher food prices. Extreme heat increases concentrations of air pollutants, triggering additional asthma attacks. Ocean acidification reduces shellfish and fishing catch. And extreme storms are devastating communities.

Climate change is not just an environmental issue, but also a budget issue. Federal disaster spending for crop losses, wildfires, and to help communities recover from destructive storms is on the rise. Without better planning to adapt to these changes and efforts to reduce the carbon pollution that causes climate change, this federal "climate deficit" will continue to grow. By transitioning to a 21st century energy economy and by smart planning for the impacts on the nation's transportation, energy, and water infrastructure, the costs of climate change and its impact on the nation's budget deficit can be reduced.

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