Etyczno-prawne aspekty (nie)odpowiedzialności klimatyczne

Extreme weather in 2017: time to take climate change seriously

Climate change is a complex and contentious public issue, but the risk-management options available to us are straightforward and have well-characterized strengths and weaknesses.

An illuminated sign in the plenary hall at the UNFCCC COP27 climate conference COP27 establishes loss and damage fund to respond to human cost of climate change Deal on compensation for climate impacts represents major milestone for climate justice.

The 2022 Europe report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: towards a climate resilient future

Addressing Climate Change Without Legislation - Volume 1: DOI

More than 10 billion tons of oil equivalent energy are consumed a year in the world in the present time and over 80 % of it is provided by fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas. Many specialists, institutes, international agencies and organizations have foreseen or estimated an increase of energy consumption in future, remaining fossil fuel resources, and the period of consumption of them. On the other hand, global warming due to green house gases (GHG) emissions, especially carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted by burning of fossil fuels has become a serious issue. The IPCC (Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change) opened their Fourth Assessment Report [1] to the public last year indicating that anthropogenic warming over the last three decades has likely had a discernible influence at the global scale on observed changes in many physical and biological systems. The report also describes that altered frequencies and intensities of extreme weather, together with sea level rise, are expected to have mostly adverse effects on natural and human systems. Most of the countries in the world confirmed the significance of the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC as providing the most comprehensive assessment of the science and encouraged the continuation of the science-based approach that should guide our climate protection efforts. The COP (Conference of the Parties on United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) 15 was held in December, 2009, to construct the new protocol on reduction of CO2 emission following the Kyoto protocol which was valid until 2012.The new protocol is to form agreement of reduction of CO2 emission by 2020 in each country to avoiding the most serious consequences of climate change and determined to achieve the stabilization of atmospheric concentrations of global greenhouse gases considering and adopting the goal of achieving at least 50 % reduction of global emissions by 2050. Negotiations in the COP continue in 2010. Various considerations and measures to mitigate climate change are expected in various sectors such as energy supply, transport and its infrastructure, residential and commercial buildings, industry, agriculture, forestry and waste management. Enhancement of energy utilization efficiency is one of the key issues and adoption of renewable energy such as solar and wind energies are progressing in many countries. Among them, nuclear energy is an essential instrument of energy supply to mitigate global warming from the viewpoints of stable energy supply with necessary amounts, harmonization with global environment and

There is strong scientific evidence that the average temperature of the earth's surface is rising as a result of the increased concentration of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere owing to human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels, coal, oil, and gas. This global warming will lead to substantial changes of climate, many of which will impact human communities in deleterious ways. In terms of the likely global pattern of climate change over the twenty-first century, in the absence of any mitigating action the global average temperature is likely to rise by between about 1˙5 and 5˙5°C and sea level by about half a metre (range 0˙1–0˙9 m). The hydrological cycle is likely to be more intense (leading in some places to more frequent and more intense floods and droughts) and the rate of climate change is likely to be substantially greater than the earth has experienced over at least the last ten thousand years. It is particularly to this rapid rate of change that it will be difficult for many ecosystems and for humans to adapt. Action has been taken by the world's scientists through the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to assess as thoroughly as possible knowledge regarding the basic science and the impacts, including an assessment of the uncertainties. The world's governments have also taken action in setting up the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC ) at the Earth Summit in 1992 and at subsequent meetings of the parties to that convention, especially that at Kyoto in 1997. In order to mitigate climate change the FCCC in its article 2 has set the objective of stabilisation of the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at a level and on a timescale consistent with the needs both of the environment and of sustainable development. Such stabilisation will eventually demand severe cuts in global emissions, for instance of carbon dioxide, to levels well below today's by the second half of the twenty-first century. To achieve the required reductions in the emissions of carbon dioxide, three possibilities are available, to sequester carbon dioxide resulting from the burning of fossil fuels rather than releasing it to the atmosphere, to become much more efficient in the generation and use of energy, and to provide for energy supply from non-fossil fuel sources. This article will summarise the science of climate change including the evidence for it and will describe the main impacts, the actions taken so far, and the further actions that are likely to be necessary to mitigate climate change.

There is strong scientific evidence that the average temperature of the earth's surface is rising as a result of the increased concentration of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere owing to human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels, coal, oil, and gas. This global warming will lead to substantial changes of climate, many of which will impact human communities in deleterious ways. In terms of the likely global pattern of climate change over the twenty-first century, in the absence of any mitigating action the global average temperature is likely to rise by between about 1˙5 and 5˙5°C and sea level by about half a metre (range 0˙1–0˙9 m). The hydrological cycle is likely to be more intense (leading in some places to more frequent and more intense floods and droughts) and the rate of climate change is likely to be substantially greater than the earth has experienced over at least the last ten thousand years. It is particularly to this rapid rate of change that it will be difficult for many ecosystems and for humans to adapt. Action has been taken by the world's scientists through the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to assess as thoroughly as possible knowledge regarding the basic science and the impacts, including an assessment of the uncertainties. The world's governments have also taken action in setting up the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC ) at the Earth Summit in 1992 and at subsequent meetings of the parties to that convention, especially that at Kyoto in 1997. In order to mitigate climate change the FCCC in its article 2 has set the objective of stabilisation of the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at a level and on a timescale consistent with the needs both of the environment and of sustainable development. Such stabilisation will eventually demand severe cuts in global emissions, for instance of carbon dioxide, to levels well below today's by the second half of the twenty-first century. To achieve the required reductions in the emissions of carbon dioxide, three possibilities are available, to sequester carbon dioxide resulting from the burning of fossil fuels rather than releasing it to the atmosphere, to become much more efficient in the generation and use of energy, and to provide for energy supply from non-fossil fuel sources. This article will summarise the science of climate change including the evidence for it and will describe the main impacts, the actions taken so far, and the further actions that are likely to be necessary to mitigate climate change.

Last year was one for the record books. In 2006, the United States experienced the warmest surface temperature since 1895. It was also the eleventh year since 1995 to rank among the warmest worldwide ever recorded. The decade prior saw many other extreme weather events. In 2003, a brutal summer heat wave in Europe killed at least 22,000 people. In 1998, Hurricane Mitch stalled over Central America and released six feet of rain, causing massive mudslides and claiming 11,000 lives. After that storm, Honduras reported thousands of cases of cholera, malaria, and dengue fever.

Homo Sapiens Sapiens Progressive Defaunation During The Great Acceleration: The Cli-Fi Apocalypse Hypothesis

Children and Climate Change: Introducing the Issue Janet Currie (bio) and Olivier Deschênes (bio) According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2015—with an average global temperature 1.6° Fahrenheit warmer than the twentieth-century average—was Earth’s warmest year since record keeping began in 1880, continuing a half-century-long trend of rising temperatures. The debate about climate change and appropriate policy response is often framed in terms of the likely impact on our children. Children born in 2016 will be 34 in 2050 and 84 in 2100. How will the probable rise in temperature (3.6 to 7.2° Fahrenheit, or 2 to 4° Celsius), rising sea levels, and the increasing likelihood of extreme weather affect the course of their lives and the lives of their children? This issue of The Future of Children outlines the likely consequences of climate change on child health and wellbeing and identifies policies that could mitigate negative impacts. Four interrelated themes emerge from the issue. 1. Climate change will fundamentally alter Earth’s climate system in many ways that threaten children’s physical and mental wellbeing. 2. Today’s children and future generations will bear a disproportionate share of the burden of climate change, which will affect child wellbeing through many direct, indirect, and societal pathways. 3. Children in developing countries and countries with weak institutions face the greatest risks. 4. The uncertainties associated with climate change and its mitigation—coupled with the fact that the costs of climate change mitigation policies need to be paid now, but the benefits will accrue in the future—make it difficult to enact appropriate policies. In the past decade, the science of climate change has progressed rapidly. By combining evidence from direct observation, climate modeling, and historical sources (such as ice cores that can reveal information about climate centuries ago), scientists have become virtually certain that human activities are altering our climate in ways that will have drastic effects for future generations through mechanisms such as sea-level rise, warmer [End Page 3] temperatures, and a higher frequency of natural disasters. Children are largely left out of discussions about appropriate responses to climate change, but they ought to be central to these debates because they—as well as future generations—have a much larger stake in the outcome than we do. Compared with adults, children are physically more vulnerable to the direct effects of extreme heat, drought, and natural disasters. Climate change’s indirect effects can also derail children’s developmental trajectories—for example, through conflict, vector-borne diseases, economic dislocation, undernutrition, or migration—making it harder for them to reach their full potential. As some of the most vulnerable members of society, children generally suffer whenever there is social upheaval. Given the profound changes to society that may accompany climate change, it is likely that children will be especially severely affected. Our third theme is that children are especially vulnerable in developing countries, where 85 percent of the world’s youth currently live. Children in those countries are already facing the impacts of climate change. The World Health Organization estimates that children suffer more than 80 percent of the illness and mortality attributable to climate change. So, for a large share of the world’s population, climate change is here and now and not merely some future problem. Moreover, to the extent that children in developing countries are already more likely to face other threats to their health and welfare, they may have less resilience to confront the additional problems caused by climate change. At the same time, given that so many factors contribute to children’s development, there may be many ways to either exacerbate or compensate for the harm caused by climate change. Governments bear major responsibility for adopting policies that respond to climate change. However, governments in developing countries are less likely to represent children’s interests effectively, leaving children at even greater risk of harmful consequences. Our fourth theme is that decision making surrounding climate change is greatly complicated by the high degree of uncertainty involved in virtually all of its aspects. Yet waiting for uncertainty to be resolved before acting is not a viable option...

Chapter 6: Insurance industry

Global climate change refers to the long-term, large-scale shift in the planet’s weather patterns and average temperatures, primarily driven by human activities, particularly greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels. It constitutes a global emergency, profoundly impacting human health, food security, and safety. Despite global efforts to limit temperature increases to 1.5°C, the consequences of climate change are becoming increasingly apparent. According to the World Health Organization, between 2030 and 2050, climate change could cause approximately 250,000 additional deaths annually due to malnutrition and infectious diseases. Extreme weather events—prolonged droughts, heatwaves, heavy rainfall, and floods—threaten food systems, increasing the prevalence of zoonoses, food-, water-, and vector-borne diseases. These conditions displace millions of people annually, leading to the phenomenon of climate refugees. Beyond environmental factors, climate change also affects agricultural productivity and food quality, exacerbating hunger in vulnerable regions. It disrupts plant health, alters pathogen life cycles, and increases vulnerability to invasive species and diseases. Simultaneously, armed conflicts and geopolitical instability further aggravate migration and food insecurity, creating a vicious cycle that disproportionately impacts economically fragile regions. This study aims to explore the interconnections between climate change, armed conflict, migration, and global food insecurity. It highlights the causal relationships among these factors, emphasizing how extreme weather events, natural disasters, and conflicts affect food production, access, and distribution. By addressing key drivers—such as forced migration due to environmental and political crises—and analyzing the impact on vulnerable populations, particularly in Africa, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe, this research underscores the urgent need for a multidimensional response encompassing foreign, economic, energy, and food policies to mitigate the escalating risks to global food security. Keywords: Global warming, greenhouse gas emissions, extreme weather events, food and nutrition security, natural disasters, armed conflicts, migrations.

Heat: how to stop the planet from burning

Global warming is the rise in the average temperature of Earth’s atmosphere and oceans since the late 19th century and its projected continuation. Since the early 20th century, Earth’s mean surface temperature has increased by about 0.8 °C (1.4 °F), Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, and scientists are more than 90% certain that it is primarily caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases produced by human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and deformation. Climate model projections were summarized in 21st Century Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). They indicated that during the 21st century the global surface temperature is likely to rise a further 1.1 to 2.9°C (2 to 5.2 °F) for their lowest emission scenario and 2.4 to 6.4 °C (4.3 to 11.5 °F) for their highest. The ranges of these estimates arise from the use of models with differing sensitivity to greenhouse gas concentrations. The Earth’s average surface temperature rose by .74 ± 0.18 °C over the period 1906–2005.Temperature changes vary over the globe. Since 1979, land temperatures have increased about twice as fast as ocean temperatures (0.25 °C per decade against 0.13 °C per decade). Proposed policy responses to global warming include mitigation by emissions reduction, adaptation to its effects, and possible future geo engineering. Most countries are parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), whose ultimate objective is to prevent dangerous anthropogenic climate change. Reports published by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Energy Agency suggest that efforts as of the early 21st century to reduce emissions may be inadequate to meet the UNFCCC’s 2 °C target. Future of climate change and associated impacts will vary from region to region around the globe. The effects of an increase in global temperature include a rise in sea levels and a change in the amount and pattern of precipitation, as well a probable expansion of subtropical deserts. Warming is expected to be strongest in the Arctic and would be associated with the continuing retreat of glaciers, permafrost and sea ice. Effects significant to humans include the threat to food security from decreasing crop yields and the loss of habitat from inundation.