Ninety-seven percent of climate change scientists are in agreement: man-made global warming is real.
Climate change is arguably one of the biggest environmental issues today. Despite the consensus among the scientific community, the US president, Donald Trump, does not agree. The Trump administration has repeatedly suggested claims of man-made climate change are greatly exaggerated.
Despite the denial, we’re already feeling the effects of climate change. For example, scientists have attributed the recent extreme weather to global warming. The recent wildfires and heatwaves were arguably caused by man.
Experts are also in agreement that time is running out to deal with this problem. If we fail to address this critical issue, it will lead to some difficult security challenges.
Natural Disasters
There is a lot of evidence that climate change will increase the number of natural disasters across the globe.
For example, areas that are prone to hurricanes may face worse storms, and more often. Places prone to wildfires, such as much of California, may also be more disaster-prone.
Environmental issues in the US have historically caused a lot of security problems. Opportunistic criminals commit burglaries within evacuated communities. Many areas in the US are also incredibly unprepared to deal with a large natural catastrophe.
During Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, the authorities were caught off-guard. The evacuation of the city was poorly organized and emergency measures were put into place too slowly. With the authorities unable to cope, many victims of the hurricane had to fend for themselves.
Hurricane Katrina was such a devastating disaster that the city is still recovering. Since the weather has been getting more extreme, it seems that another Katrina-level disaster is inevitable.
Looting
It’s not uncommon for people to take advantage of a disaster situation. Evacuated neighborhoods present a unique opportunity for burglars.
The shops, homes, and businesses are all completely empty. The authorities are preoccupied. It’s a great chance to get away with a big haul.
During the recent Hurricane Florence, the police arrested many would-be thieves. Police in Brunswick County apprehended two suspects who were trying to break into a local shop. The pair were in possession of burglary tools.
If you live in an area that is prone to natural disasters, you should have an evacuation plan in place. This should not only cover how you and your family are going to get out of the area but should also include a plan for locking down your property.
You don’t need to make your home or business into Fort Knox to keep it safe. Looters are opportunistic. If you don’t make things easy for them, they will move onto an easier mark.
It can be easy to overlook this aspect of securing your home. Homes that would never be burgled normally become an attractive target during a disaster.
Do you live in an area that’s prone to evacuation orders? You should consider working with this security company to secure your property.
The Environmental Issues of Today May Lead to Scarcity
Global warming will impact the availability of natural resources. The could be a significant cause of global conflict and civil unrest.
As the climate changes, some countries will not have enough access to vital resources such as water and arable land. Increasing competition over these resources could lead to instability and even violent conflict.
In today’s interconnected world, a violent conflict could have far-reaching consequences. The risk of such turmoil increases in areas that don’t have good systems in place for resolving disputes.
A huge proportion of African conflicts can be attributed to land disputes. While there have been no recorded conflicts over water, it seems it’s becoming likely in the future.
As these kinds of disputes get worse, they could destabilize the global economy.
Scarcity Could Lead to Mass Migration
As essential resources become scarcer in certain parts of the world, people will start to migrate to other areas. The European migrant crisis of 2015 was an example of a mass migration event. That crisis was enough to cause instability in Europe.
Experts believe future migration crises will be much worse. Climate change will render huge areas of the planet uninhabitable. This will be extremely problematic, as many governments don’t have the resources to accommodate such an event.
When there aren’t enough resources to go around, things will almost certainly turn violent. A recent report has suggested that up to 150 million people could migrate within their own country due to climate change.
The report identified three key regions that are likely to be susceptible: Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America. These 150 million would be in addition to migrants coming from outside the borders.
The report suggests we have a small window remaining to prepare for this new reality. Without the right planning in place and the right support systems, mass migration could cause more destruction than a natural disaster.
Mass migration can lead to heightened tensions between the migrants and the host communities. Tensions can eventually boil over into open hostility if the crisis is badly managed.
If you live in an area that may be susceptible to these issues in the future, it’s difficult to do anything on an individual level. If people are to be protected from these threats, there needs to be the political will to do so.
One way you can help is to vote for politicians who take a realistic approach to climate change.
Rising Sea Levels
Rising sea levels are one of the biggest environmental issues the world faces as a result of climate change. Many low-lying coastal areas are threatened. Established ecosystems could crumble and wildlife could go extinct.
The loss of land to the sea will also result in mass migration. Small island states face the loss of their entire country, and areas built upon river deltas could be affected severely. Territorial loss from rising sea levels could lead to violent conflict and to mass migration.
With enough resources and a good plan, rising sea levels can be managed. For example, most of the Netherlands is below sea level. Since the government spends millions on flood management, catastrophic floods in the country are rare.
Unfortunately, many countries lack the funds, expertise, and political will to build adequate flood protections. If adequate measures are not taken in the near future, the inevitable floods will have disastrous consequences.
Volatile Prices
Historically, high food and fuel prices have always led to civil unrest. Since climate change could cause certain resources to become scarce, it could have a knock-on effect on the global food market.
This could result in food becoming unaffordable for thousands of people. In 2008, a global food crisis led to riots around the world, particularly in countries such as Bangladesh, Haiti, and Pakistan.
If a community already has social problems, such as high unemployment and low quality of life, high food prices could spark disastrous levels of civil unrest.
The Window Is Closing Fast
Climate change is one of the major environmental issues today. Most experts agree that the window we have to act on is rapidly closing. Some, in fact, believe that we have already run out of time. All we can do now is mitigate the damage.
Global warming is a difficult issue to address as it requires worldwide cooperation. Whenever the UN Security Council has debated the issue, it has proven difficult to come to a consensus.
In the face of such calamitous changes, what can you do to secure future security for you and your family?
What You Can Do
First and foremost, there needs to be the political will to solve the problem. While there are certainly ways you can help the environment as an individual, measures need to be taken on a global scale.
Continuing to elect politicians who deny climate change is certainly not going to help. When you vote in elections, make sure you’re aware of your chosen candidates’ environmental policies.
The world needs to shift towards green energy if we are to slow the damage caused by climate change. While you probably can’t do much to change things on a global scale, you can take measures to ensure your safety if disaster strikes in your community.
Identify any threats you might face in the future because of global warming and plan accordingly. If you live in a community that might need to be evacuated due to a natural disaster, make sure you and your family have a solid plan of action.
A natural disaster plan can also be applicable to escape civil unrest in your community. Failing to flee on time can have fatal consequences. Having an evacuation kit ready to go can significantly reduce the time it’ll take you to get to safety.
You should also make sure your home has proper security features. If a looter can’t break into your house within a few seconds, they will probably give up.
Humans have a natural tendency to underestimate danger until it’s too late. Every family should have a plan in place in case of disaster.
Want to help with environmental issues today? Check out how to make your home eco-friendly!
