Climate change is one of the greatest threats to human civilisation. We face dangerous heatwaves, extreme storms, sea level rise and huge extinctions because of climate change. This is not a distant future threat; changes in the climate are already becoming obvious around the world. For ourselves and our children to survive, we need to start preparing for the climate of the future now.
Climate change is now inevitable. The UK climate is becoming warmer, with a rise in the average temperature of nearly 1°C over the last decade. Extreme action on a global level may slow down climate change, but we are already past the point of preventing it.
When we think of climate change, rising sea levels is often the main consideration. Increasing temperatures around the world will have many consequences, not just rising sea levels. It is likely that climate change could lead to the collapse of society around the world. Parts of the world may become unliveable for humans, leading to huge number of deaths and mass migrations. Crops will fail as the climate changes, and many species of plants and animals will become extinct.
Is Climate Change Real?
The short answer: yes, climate change is real. There are still many people who don’t believe in climate change, despite the overwhelming evidence. Yet more people do not believe that climate change is caused by humans. For the purposes of this article, it doesn’t matter whether climate change is caused by humans or not. Climate change is happening, and it is a huge threat to our society. The threat posed by climate change is one of the main reasons that the doomsday clock has been set to 100 seconds to midnight.
The majority of people in the UK now consider climate change to be a threat, according to the Summer 2020 Global Attitudes Survey by the Pew Research Centre.
What Will The Climate Be Like In 2050?
It is impossible to predict exactly what the climate will be like in 2050, but we can estimate based on current trends. The predictions that follow are based on the most likely climate changes, and are not the absolute worst case scenario.
Global Changes In The Climate
In less than 30 years from now, the world’s climate will have changed dramatically. Most of earth’s land will experience hotter temperatures and dryer weather. Dangerous heatwaves, and long droughts will be common in many places.
Crops will fail due to the hotter and dryer weather. Whole ecosystems will collapse, and many species will become extinct. Many people will die from hunger or thirst.
Large parts of the earth, particularly in the tropics, will have become uninhabitable due to high temperatures. Sea levels will have risen, destroying many low-lying coastal towns and cities as well as flooding many islands. There will be mass migrations of people displaced by the changing climate, and this will upset the geopolitical stability of the earth.
Many more people will be living in cities in the still habitable parts of the earth, leading to overcrowding. The air quality in many places, cities in particular, will be much worse. The changing climate will trap more pollutants at ground level, making the air more dangerous to breathe. The increased population will have huge demands on resources, leading to further pollution. Disease will be a major problem, with overcrowding and hot, humid conditions perfect for spreading disease.
The rising temperatures will melt the permafrost in far northern parts of the world. This will release the massive amounts of carbon currently stored in permafrost, which will add massive amounts of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. The increase in greenhouse gases will further speed up temperature rises around the world, so the outlook beyond 2050 is even worse.
Future Climate In The UK
The climate changes in the UK may seem small compared to some other parts of the world. Over the next 30 years, summers will become warmer and dryer, similar to the current climate in southern Europe. The hottest days will be hotter, with temperatures over 30°C becoming more common. The humidity will also be higher, because warmer air can hold more moisture. Rain will be less frequent than it is now.
The frequent summer heatwaves will lead to many people dying because of the heat. The dryer weather will cause droughts in summer, making it much harder to grow food. The crops grown in the UK will have to change, as some current crops will not be suited to the future climate.
Winters will be warmer, but also wetter than they are now. Weather patterns will become less predictable, with huge storms becoming more common. The storms will bring high winds and very heavy rainfall. Although there will be less rain overall, when it does rain it will be very heavy and will lead to frequent flash flooding.
Migration will lead to overcrowding in cities, which will contribute to the already poor air quality. This will increase demand on the food chain, as well as cause a significantly increased risk of disease.
These climate predictions assumes that the Gulf Stream, a major influence over the UK climate, continues to flow in the North Atlantic. Scientists have reported evidence of the Gulf Stream slowing down, which could also affect our climate. It may reduce the winter temperatures, but also further destabilise the weather patterns. Read our article about the collapse of the Gulf Stream for more information.
Climate Change And The Collapse Of Society
Climate change will cause the collapse of society as we know it. Maybe not by 2050, but we will be well on the way to it by then. Climate change will make huge parts of the earth uninhabitable. The survivors will have to find places on earth where they can still live. Hundreds of millions of people will be displaced, and many will try to reach northern Europe.
Our society is built on consumerism, with demands for energy becoming greater and greater. If we do not put a stop to this in order to try to prevent climate change, then climate change will eventually force it on us. The infrastructure and society of parts of the world that are still habitable will be changed forever by climate change.
Preparing For The Climate Of The Future
We are lucky in the UK in that we will not be as badly affected by climate change as many other regions of the world. The UK will not become uninhabitable due to heat and drought, however it will change. In the lifetimes of many people alive today, the climate will become much warmer and dryer. Food crops that we can grow now may be unviable in future because of the changes in weather patterns. In our children’s lifetimes, many parts of the world will become uninhabitable and there will be a huge shift in populations around the world.
It is important to start preparing for the climate of the future now, because in a few years it might already be too late. There are many ways that you can be prepared. to survive the climate of the future.
Preparing For Rising Sea Levels
One significant effect of climate change that will affect parts of the UK is rising sea levels. Some parts of the UK will be flooded by rising sea levels, and so will become uninhabitable. Check whether the area you live is affected using the interactive sea level map from Climate Central. If you live in an area that will be under water by 2050, then now would be a good time to consider moving. If you are unable to move now, make sure you have a viable bug out location that you will be able to live permanently when sea levels force you to move.
Preparing For Future Weather Patterns
The climate of the future will vary depending on where you live. Southern England will be hotter and dryer than northern Scotland for example. Take a look at the BBC’s tool for predicting the climate where you live. Your prepping plans should be based on what you expect to happen in the area you will be living. For example, some areas will have much more of a drought problem than others.
Climate change will cause more extreme weather, with storms, strong winds and floods. Make sure that you are prepared for extreme weather, even if you live in an area that isn’t often affected now.
Self Sufficiency And Climate Change
The only way of preparing for the climate of the future is to aim to become self sufficient as soon as possible. As the climate changes, there is a significant risk of society as we know it collapsing. This will include the collapse of supply chains, and may lead to mass starvation. If you are self sufficient in producing your own food and being able to collect and purify enough water, you will be able to survive this collapse.
Start the journey to becoming self sufficient as soon as possible. It takes time to develop a garden to be able to provide all of your food. Make sure that you grow a diverse selection of foods with crops that will be successful in a warmer and dryer climate.
Off-Grid Living
The collapse of society may also cause the collapse of all of the infrastructure we currently rely on, including the power grid. It takes time to transition to living off-grid, so starting to prepare to live off-grid now will help in future.
Start Prepping Now To Survive In Future
The collapse of society caused by climate change is not inevitable. If we as a society drastically change our behaviour, the effects of climate change may be reduced. As a society, however, we are reluctant to make changes that affect our way of life, but they will soon be forced on us. The best time to start preparing for the climate of the future is now.
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