Physical climate system conditions (e.g., means, events, extremes) that can be directly connected with having impacts on human or ecologicalsystems are described as … .
climatic impact-drivers (CIDs)
WG2 AR6 North America
Climate Change Impacts: North America is already experiencing significant impacts of climate change, including more frequent and severe heatwaves, droughts, wildfires, and extreme precipitation events. These impacts are projected to increase in frequency and intensity, leading to further disruptions in natural systems and human societies.
Biodiversity Loss: Climate change is expected to exacerbate existing threats to biodiversity, including habitat loss, invasive species, and pollution. This could lead to the extinction of many species and the loss of important ecosystem services.
Human Health: Climate change is expected to have significant impacts on human health, including increased heat-related illnesses, respiratory diseases, and waterborne diseases. These impacts will disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, including low-income communities, Indigenous peoples, and the elderly.
Coastal Vulnerability: Rising sea levels and more frequent and severe storms are increasing the vulnerability of coastal communities to flooding and erosion. This will lead to significant economic and social costs, particularly in urban areas.
Adaptation and Mitigation: While some level of climate change is already inevitable, adaptation and mitigation measures can help to reduce the severity of impacts and increase resilience. Examples of adaptation measures include improving water management, strengthening infrastructure, and protecting ecosystems. Mitigation measures include reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the adoption of clean energy technologies and the implementation of policies such as carbon pricing.
WG2 AR6 Europe
Climate Change Impacts: Europe is already experiencing significant impacts of climate change, including more frequent and severe heatwaves, droughts, floods, and extreme weather events. These impacts are projected to increase in frequency and intensity, leading to further disruptions in natural systems and human societies.
Human Health: Climate change is expected to have significant impacts on human health, including increased heat-related illnesses, respiratory diseases, and the spread of vector-borne diseases. These impacts will disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, including low-income communities, the elderly, and migrants.
Agriculture and Food Security: Climate change is expected to reduce crop yields and negatively impact livestock, leading to increased food insecurity and higher food prices. This will have significant economic and social costs, particularly in rural areas.
NCA4 Sothwest
Temperature: The Southwest region is experiencing higher temperatures, which are projected to continue to increase in the future. This has significant implications for human health, water resources, and agriculture.
Precipitation: The Southwest region is experiencing changes in precipitation patterns, with more intense rainfall events and longer dry spells. This can lead to increased flooding and drought, which have implications for water resources, agriculture, and ecosystems.
Water Resources: Climate change is expected to reduce the availability of water resources in the Southwest region, which could have significant impacts on agriculture, urban areas, and natural ecosystems.
Wildfire: Climate change is increasing the risk of wildfire in the Southwest region, with longer fire seasons, more frequent and larger fires, and greater potential for property damage and human health impacts.
Ecosystems: Climate change is expected to have significant impacts on ecosystems in the Southwest region, including changes in the distribution and abundance of species, increased risk of invasive species and disease, and changes in the timing of natural events such as migration and flowering.
Adaptation: The NCA2018 Southwest chapter highlights the importance of adaptation to the impacts of climate change, including actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase water efficiency, and improve wildfire management.
Describe one of the impacts (B.1.1-B.1.7).
Point B.1.1 of the IPCC AR6 WGII Summary for Policymakers refers to the projected changes in the frequency, intensity, and duration of some extreme weather events due to global warming. Specifically, this point highlights that with further warming of the planet, we can expect to see more frequent, intense, and longer-lasting heatwaves, droughts, heavy precipitation events, and coastal flooding.
These extreme weather events can have significant impacts on both natural and human systems. Heatwaves, for example, can cause heat-related illnesses and deaths, particularly among vulnerable populations such as the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions. Droughts can lead to water scarcity, crop failures, and wildfires, which can in turn lead to food insecurity and economic losses. Heavy precipitation events can cause flooding and landslides, damaging infrastructure and causing fatalities.
It's important to note that the impacts of extreme weather events will not be felt equally around the world. Low- and middle-income countries, particularly those in tropical regions, are likely to be more vulnerable to these impacts due to factors such as inadequate infrastructure, limited resources, and higher exposure to extreme weather events.
Overall, Point B.1.1 highlights the urgent need for effective climate mitigation and adaptation measures to address the risks and challenges posed by increasing extreme weather events due to global warming.
B.1.1 - B1.7
B.1.1-B.1.7 are categories of observed or projected impacts of climate change on natural and human systems, as identified in the IPCC AR6 WGII Summary for Policymakers.
B.1.1: Changes in frequency, intensity, and duration of some extreme events, such as heatwaves, droughts, heavy precipitation events, and coastal flooding, are projected to increase with further warming of the planet.
B.1.2: Impacts on terrestrial, freshwater, and coastal ecosystems and biodiversity, including species loss and extinction, are projected to increase with the level of global warming.
B.1.3: Risks for human health, including morbidity and mortality from heatwaves, air pollution, and infectious diseases, are projected to increase with global warming, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
B.1.4: Risks to food security and livelihoods, including changes in crop yields, fisheries, and livestock production, as well as distribution and access to food, are projected to increase with global warming, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
B.1.5: Impacts on water availability, quality, and allocation, including increased water stress, drought, and flooding, are projected to increase with global warming, particularly in regions already facing water scarcity.
B.1.6: Risks to cities, infrastructure, and industry, including from sea level rise, storm surges, and extreme weather events, are projected to increase with global warming, particularly in coastal and low-lying areas.
B.1.7: Risks to security, livelihoods, and economies, including from climate-related displacement and migration, as well as conflicts over resources, are projected to increase with global warming, particularly in vulnerable regions.
Define hazards (Gefahren)
Hazards refer to the potential occurrence of natural phenomena that can cause harm or damage to human or natural systems. In the context of climate change, hazards include extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, heatwaves, hurricanes, and wildfires, as well as slow-onset events such as sea-level rise and ocean acidification.
Define vulnerability (Verletzlichkeit)
Vulnerability refers to the degree to which a human or natural system is susceptible to harm or damage from climate change impacts. Vulnerability can be influenced by factors such as social and economic status, age, gender, location, and access to resources and infrastructure.
Define exposure (Ausgesetztsein)
Exposure refers to the extent to which a human or natural system is directly exposed to climate change hazards. Exposure can be influenced by factors such as location, land use, and population density.
Define risk
Risk refers to the likelihood of harm or damage occurring to a human or natural system as a result of exposure to climate change hazards, taking into account the system's vulnerability. Risk can be expressed as the probability of occurrence of a climate change hazard multiplied by the degree of impact that hazard would have on a system.
Describe the vulnerable regions of the world.
Examples of vulnerable regions include sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, small island developing states, and Arctic and mountainous regions.
Vulnerable regions of the world in terms of climate change are typically those that are already facing multiple stresses, including poverty, environmental degradation, political instability, and social inequality. These regions are often located in low- and middle-income countries, particularly those in tropical regions, and are characterized by high exposure to climate change hazards, such as sea-level rise, flooding, droughts, and heatwaves. They also often lack the necessary resources, infrastructure, and capacity to effectively adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change, which further exacerbates their vulnerability.
Reasons for Concern (RFC)
RFC1: Unique and threatened systems
RFC2: Extreme weather events
RFC3: Distribution of impacts
RFC4: Global aggregate impacts
RFC5: Large-scale singular events
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