Scientists are warning that billions of people could be displaced or face unlivable conditions if more measures aren't taken to curb planet-warming pollution.
What's happening?
As detailed by ProPublica, a study published in the journal Nature Sustainability in 2023 found that 3 to 6 billion people — roughly one-third to half of the global population — could eventually be "trapped" outside of "climate niche" areas that best support life, with an estimated 2 billion people potentially being impacted over the next eight years.
The study, which built upon work published in 2020 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, took population growth, policy options, and temperatures into consideration.
Why is this important?
People and wildlife around the globe are already experiencing the disruptive effects of a warming planet, with extreme weather conditions becoming more frequent and severe as the result of an excess of heat-trapping gases created by human activities.
According to the United Nations, "Weather-related events [displace] an estimated 23.1 million people on average each year, leaving many more vulnerable to poverty."
In the United States, where many have the financial means to move if necessary, millions of people have avoided moving into areas at risk of flooding. However, less livable land will be available if things continue on the same trajectory or accelerate.
People in developing nations and islands are projected to be disproportionately impacted. Lack of food and dangerously high temperatures are among the issues they could face, as reported by ProPublica. Of note, the study didn't factor in rising sea levels — another significant threat to island countries.
"There are clear, profound ethical consequences in the numbers. If we can't level with that injustice and be honest about it, then we'll never progress the international action on this issue," Timothy Lenton, a lead author of the study and the director of the Global Systems Institute at the University of Exeter, told the outlet.
What can be done to prevent mass displacement?
Reducing the amount of pollution produced by coal, oil, and gas is the best thing we can do to prevent the world from reaching a point in which the effects of rising temperatures cause additional displacement. More than 75% of planet-warming gases are produced when these dirty-energy fuels are burned.
The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference closed with a loose agreement to begin transitioning away from these fuels, though there was criticism that more needed to be done.
The 2024 iteration of the conference will take place in November, and as usual, a number of organizations should take note as governments coordinate on creating systemic change to the ways we use energy.
Simple actions such as unplugging appliances when they're not in use or switching to LED light bulbs are money-saving actions individuals can take to cut down on the amount of harmful pollution they contribute to the air.
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