The Intelligence from The Economist Three-degree burn: the warmer world that awaits
Jul 22, 2021
Katrine Braek, The Economist's environment editor, and Tom Gardner, a correspondent focused on Sudan's political landscape, dive into the pressing realities of climate change and regional politics. They explore what a 3°C warmer world entails, framing it as a call to action against escalating extreme weather. Meanwhile, Gardner examines Sudan's complicated path to democracy, highlighting the tensions among military leaders as they navigate toward upcoming elections. The discussion also touches on Liverpool's recent removal from UNESCO’s heritage list, reflecting on the city's evolving identity.
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Climate Change Risks
- The Paris Agreement's goal of limiting warming to 2 degrees looks unlikely.
- Every tenth of a degree beyond that increases extreme weather risks.
Three-Degree Warming Impacts
- At 3 degrees of warming, coral reefs disappear, impacting fisheries and coastal protection.
- Ice-free Arctic summers become the norm, and irreversible ice loss in Greenland and Antarctica accelerates sea-level rise.
Tropical Heat Stress
- Extreme heat and humidity in the tropics could become unbearable and even lethal for humans.
- Wet bulb temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius are considered deadly.