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Competence Centre on Foresight

We foster a strategic, future-oriented and anticipatory culture in the EU policymaking process.

  • Page | Last updated: 18 Dec 2018

Livelihoods at risk

Climate change will amplify existing risks and create new ones. Consequences of climate change, such as weather-related disasters, are set to continue even if emissions start to decrease. Increasing magnitudes of warming increase the likelihood of severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts for humans and ecosystems. Risks are unevenly felt and are generally greater for disadvantaged people and communities in countries with low level of development. 

  • Potential impacts of climate change include:  
    • by 2050, yields of most important crops in developing countries would decline, exposing an additional number of people to malnutrition, including 25 million children.
    • by 2050, 200 million more people will be exposed to malaria.
    • by 2100, between 25 million and 1 billion people might be displaced in response to extreme weather events, drought, sea level rise, and other climate change impacts.
    • by 2100, an additional 52 million people in 84 developing countries could be affected by coastal storm surges. Damaging typhoons will be increasing in frequency and severity, which will mean considerable loss of life and economic damage.
  • 2017 was the second costliest year for loses due to natural disasters, at US$ 330bn. The record year is 2011 with losses of US$ 350bn, due mainly to the Tohoku earthquake and floods in Thailand.
  • Mentime, corporate social responsibility is on the rise. With nearly 10,000 companies from some 160 countries being members of the UN Global Compact, supporting the Sustainable Development Goals, corporate responsibility is becoming an importnat driver of social change and addressing environmnetal issues.

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