Back to the Dual ChallengeHistorically, human activity has been correlated with increased emissions and global warming.
Where do those emissions come from?
In 2019, human activity resulted in the release of about 51 billion tons of greenhouse gases.
Note: Emissions measured in tons of CO2-equivalent and include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and f-gases Source: Bill Gates, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster (2021).How has this progressed over time?
Two trillion cumulative tons of carbon dioxide have been released since 1850, with more than 45% of that since 1990.
Human-induced climate change is driven by the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases. Therefore, cumulative emissions play a crucial role in overall impacts.
Note: Excludes non-CO2 emissions such as methane. Sources: Bain & Company analysis; Global Carbon Project; Our World in Data.That level of cumulative emissions has already produced adverse effects.
The impacts of climate change fall on both natural and human systems, and include severe weather; increased food and water insecurity; damage to terrestrial, freshwater, coastal, and marine ecosystems; and species loss.
Ecosystem changes
“Climate change has caused substantial damages, and increasingly irreversible losses, in terrestrial, freshwater, and coastal and open ocean marine ecosystems.”
Species loss and range shifts
“Hundreds of local losses of species have been driven by increases in the magnitude of heat extremes (high confidence), as well as mass mortality events on land and in the ocean.”
Water scarcity and food production
“Climate change, including increases in frequency and intensity of [temperature and weather] extremes, have reduced food and water security, hindering efforts to meet Sustainable Development Goals”
Health and wellbeing
“The occurrence of climate-related food-borne and water-borne diseases has increased (very high confidence). The incidence of vector-borne diseases has increased from range expansion and/or increased reproduction of disease vectors.”
Human displacement
“Hazards resulting from the increasing intensity and frequency of extreme weather events…are already causing an average of more than 20 million people to leave their homes and move to other areas in their countries each year.”
