Climate change has resulted in many social consequences including impacts on health and changes to everyday life, such as transportation systems and food and water supplies. With such a significant global concern, it is inevitable that our society would considerably feel the after effects. Social consequences can be defined as the impacts that affect public communities and service sectors. Over time, especially in the middle and upper classes, people have become accustomed and comfortable with a certain standard of living. Any conditions outside of this idea of normality feel far more extreme due to our increased sensitivity to environmental alterations.
Certain groups of society are more vulnerable to climate change, usually due to locational factors. For example living in areas near to the coast makes you far more exposed to tsunamis or storms, as a result of rising seas levels. Similarly, those residing in poorer areas, especially in poverty, are left defenceless to hazards, since they do have the capacity to cope in terms of wealth and emergency resources. Furthermore, not only can housing be affected, but professions and therefore the economy can also take a hit. People whose futures rely on outdoor, more temperamental industries, for instance agriculture, tourism and commerce, are at risk of losing their main sources of income that may be the sole method of provision for their family. This only demonstrates how the weather and climate are so essential in our routinely existence, that the dramatic changes we are experiencing to those are going to force us to alter our way of living.
There seems to be significant evidence that, if not already, climate change is likely to cause huge water shortages. Global warming quite obviously means higher temperatures, which causes the drying up of water plentiful land and deserts alike. Not only is water essential for our health, it is also crucial to supply industries for the functioning of machinery. Additionally, if we desire to solve the climate crisis that is currently on our hands, hydro power is an effective alternative energy source, in the place of carbon dioxide emitting fossil fuels and nuclear energy. Closely related to water supply is food supply. With such severe circumstances, it is likely that a heavy toll will be taken on availability and access. This would be directly because of crop yield, soil fertility or any other issue affecting stability. It is a generally accepted theory that rising temperatures have put a strain on agricultural produce due to said factors, and therefore have limited usage of farmed food supply. Moreover, food and water are both essential in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, meaning this is another indirect impact.
Overall, the social consequences of climate change are so vast, once you begin to explore connections within different impacts, that this piece has not yet even scratched the surface with the information available. Unconscious decisions that we may have taken for granted in the past may have to become a part of our regular thought process. This once again highlights the power that climate change holds in our society and shows us that we have the autonomy to push for a difference.
Who’s Future? Our Future.
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