Climate change will make us more likely to wet the bed and may trigger a plague of ticks, snakes and VOLES as ‘devastating’ droughts and flooding send nature haywire by 2100
- Researchers found 467 different ways greenhouse gasses affect humanity
- These include impacts on human health, food, water, economy and security
- As emissions increase, society faces a much larger threat from climate change than previously thought
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Climate change will make us more likely to wet the bed and trigger a plague of ticks, snakes and voles, research claims.
A rise in ‘devastating’ droughts, floods, wildfires and other weather events caused by global warming will impact nature in a number of bizarre ways, the study shows.
As emissions increase, society faces a much larger threat from climate change than previously thought, the team from University of Hawaii in Manoa said.
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This map displays the cumulative number of climate hazards by 2100 under business as usual scenario. Areas of blue are at low risk of climate hazards while red shows a higher risk
They analysed thousands of scientific papers on climate change, uncovering 467 different ways that greenhouse gases impact life on Earth.
They include an increase in floods, drought, wildfires and hurricanes that the team projects will hit both rich and poor communities.
Some of the stranger effects included changes to animal behaviour, including ticks, snails and snakes.
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Rising temperatures will likely alter the distribution of snails in China, pushing them into regions that were previously too cold for them to inhabit.
Snakes and ticks are also heavily impacted by atmospheric temperatures, and countries with low numbers of the creatures could see a rise by 2100.
In Sweden, an invasion of voles in 2007 was attributed to reduced snow cover after an unusually warm winter – similar plague could become more common.
The team behind the new study said warmer temperatures may also cause people to wet the bed more.
Previous research has shown that pregnant women exposed to heavy flooding gave birth to children who wet the bed more, and were aggressive toward other children.
As emissions increase, society faces a much larger threat from climate change than previously thought, the team from University of Hawaii in Manoa said (stock image)
The increasing exposure to the multitude of climate hazards will impact both rich and poor countries – especially in tropical coastal areas.
In the year 2100, New York is expected to face up to four climate hazards, if greenhouse gas emissions are not mitigated.
Sydney and Los Angeles will face three concurrent climate hazards, Mexico City will face four, and the Atlantic coast of Brazil will face five.
The study was co-authored by 23 scientists, including several who are on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and they have released an interactive map of the threats.
For example by 2095 the UK faces increased warming, rainfall and drought while suffering a deficit in fresh water.
The paper concludes urgently: ‘Overall, our analysis shows that ongoing climate change will pose a heightened threat to humanity that will be greatly aggravated if substantial and timely reductions of greenhouse gas emissions are not achieved.’
Lead author Associate Professor Camilo Mora said: ‘Greenhouse gas emissions pose a broad threat to humanity by simultaneously intensifying many hazards that have proven harmful in the past.
‘Further, we predict that by 2100 the number of hazards occurring concurrently will increase, making it even more difficult for people to cope.
‘The collision of cumulative climate hazards is not something on the horizon, it is already here.
‘Last year, for instance, Florida recorded extreme drought, record high temperatures, over 100 wildfires, and the strongest ever recorded hurricane in its Panhandle: The category 4 Hurricane Michael.
‘Likewise, California is currently experiencing ferocious wild fires and one of the longest droughts, plus extreme heatwaves this past summer.’
Dawn Wright, ESRI Chief Scientist said: ‘The study is a compelling review of how climate change is literally redrawing lines on the map, clearly showing the threats that our world faces at every level.
‘The maps and data hammer home how much danger humanity truly faces, and the need for immediate action,’ said
Co-author Professor Jonathan Patz, from the University of Wisconsin’s Global Health Institute said: ‘Our health depends on multiple factors, from clean air and water, to safe food and shelter and more.
‘So without a real systems approach to climate change impacts, we cannot adequately understand the full risks.
‘If we only consider the most direct threats from climate change, for example heatwaves or severe storms, we inevitably will be blindsided by even larger threats that, in combination, can have even broader societal impacts.’
Co-author Assistant Professor Daniele Spirandelli from the University of Hawaii said: ‘The evidence of climate change impacting humanity is abundant, loud and clear.
‘Clearly, the outstanding question is – how many wake-up calls will it take to wake up?’
WHAT IS THE PARIS AGREEMENT?
The Paris Agreement, which was first signed in 2015, is an international agreement to control and limit climate change.
It hopes to hold the increase in the global average temperature to below 2°C (3.6ºF) ‘and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C (2.7°F)’.
It seems the more ambitious goal of restricting global warming to 1.5°C (2.7°F) may be more important than ever, according to previous research which claims 25 per cent of the world could see a significant increase in drier conditions.
In June 2017, President Trump announced his intention for the US, the second largest producer of greenhouse gases in the world, to withdraw from the agreement.
The Paris Agreement on Climate Change has four main goals with regards to reducing emissions:
1) A long-term goal of keeping the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels
2) To aim to limit the increase to 1.5°C, since this would significantly reduce risks and the impacts of climate change
3) Goverments agreed on the need for global emissions to peak as soon as possible, recognising that this will take longer for developing countries
4) To undertake rapid reductions thereafter in accordance with the best available science
Source: European Commission
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