Misato NotoClimate change will expose our lives to serious threats in many ways, such as through social, cultural and natural resources.
For example, population displacement due to sea-level rise is a potential crisis that looms over major coastal cities such as Miami, Shanghai and Mumbai, as well as small islands like Kiribati in the Pacific. Coupled with intensifying natural disasters, coastal residents of these regions, especially those with fewer resources and support, could lose their homes.
Moreover, the health impacts of air pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuels have been one of the most alarming risks of climate change. A combination of heat and stagnant air leads to ground-level ozone, which can damage the lungs and aggravate chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma.
Carbon dioxide plays an integral part in plant growth, but an increased level of carbon dioxide in the air can also affect the quality of food crops. Studies show that rice, which is a crucial food source for more than two billion people, will contain less protein, micronutrients and vitamins under higher carbon dioxide concentration.
