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Broad threat to humanity from cumulative climate hazards intensified by greenhouse gas emissions

Author

Listed:
  • Camilo Mora

    (University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa)

  • Daniele Spirandelli

    (University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
    University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa)

  • Erik C. Franklin

    (University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
    University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa)

  • John Lynham

    (University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
    University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa)

  • Michael B. Kantar

    (University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa)

  • Wendy Miles

    (Pacific Islands Climate Change Cooperative
    University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa)

  • Charlotte Z. Smith

    (University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa)

  • Kelle Freel

    (University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa)

  • Jade Moy

    (University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa)

  • Leo V. Louis

    (Cornell University)

  • Evan W. Barba

    (University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa)

  • Keith Bettinger

    (East-West Center)

  • Abby G. Frazier

    (East-West Center
    USDA Forest Service)

  • John F. Colburn IX

    (University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa)

  • Naota Hanasaki

    (National Institute for Environmental Studies)

  • Ed Hawkins

    (University of Reading)

  • Yukiko Hirabayashi

    (Shibaura Institute of Technology)

  • Wolfgang Knorr

    (Lund University)

  • Christopher M. Little

    (Atmospheric and Environmental Research, Inc.)

  • Kerry Emanuel

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Justin Sheffield

    (University of Southampton
    Princeton University)

  • Jonathan A. Patz

    (University of Wisconsin)

  • Cynthia L. Hunter

    (University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa)

Abstract

The ongoing emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) is triggering changes in many climate hazards that can impact humanity. We found traceable evidence for 467 pathways by which human health, water, food, economy, infrastructure and security have been recently impacted by climate hazards such as warming, heatwaves, precipitation, drought, floods, fires, storms, sea-level rise and changes in natural land cover and ocean chemistry. By 2100, the world’s population will be exposed concurrently to the equivalent of the largest magnitude in one of these hazards if emmisions are aggressively reduced, or three if they are not, with some tropical coastal areas facing up to six simultaneous hazards. These findings highlight the fact that GHG emissions pose a broad threat to humanity by intensifying multiple hazards to which humanity is vulnerable.

Suggested Citation

  • Camilo Mora & Daniele Spirandelli & Erik C. Franklin & John Lynham & Michael B. Kantar & Wendy Miles & Charlotte Z. Smith & Kelle Freel & Jade Moy & Leo V. Louis & Evan W. Barba & Keith Bettinger & Ab, 2018. "Broad threat to humanity from cumulative climate hazards intensified by greenhouse gas emissions," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 8(12), pages 1062-1071, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcli:v:8:y:2018:i:12:d:10.1038_s41558-018-0315-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41558-018-0315-6
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