Mounting costs of failing to address climate change

Outlet: Arab News

Language: English

Abstract: The reality of climate change has become undeniable as life-threatening heat waves test human survival limits globally. Record-breaking temperatures and devastating heat indexes, alongside a critical rise in global temperatures, highlight the urgent need for action. Agriculture faces severe threats, with crop yields declining significantly due to extreme heat, exacerbating food insecurity and poverty. Despite the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, energy-related carbon dioxide emissions continue to rise. The global response remains slow and fragmented, hindered by geopolitical tensions and bureaucratic inertia. The recent spate of extreme weather events underscores the inadequacy of current efforts. Effective climate interventions require urgent policy actions and societal shifts. The international community must overcome political and diplomatic obstacles to implement decisive actions, as delaying responses will exacerbate future effects. The upcoming COP29 conference will be a critical test of whether the world can unite to address this defining challenge.

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