Climate change and personal insurance
Climate change and personal insurance There is an important distinction between weather and climate. The weather reports in the short term for different environmental phenomena and conditions, including temperature, wind, precipitation, humidity and even atmospheric pressure. Climate refers to weather events over a longer period (typically 30 years or more). Therefore, the term "climate change" refers to long-term changes in the behavior of the weather. Since the average temperatures of the planet have been rising continuously for over a hundred years, it is a fact that our climate is changing. When weather events do occur, they can sometimes be identified as examples of climate change if they share the same characteristics as long-term climate trends. Whether you believe in climate change or not, even the most ardent skeptics now recognize that the world is warming rapidly, that sea levels will rise as the polar ice caps melt, and that the frequency and severity of events. environmental disasters are likely to continue to increase.
From a scientific standpoint, it all comes down to the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) released into the atmosphere. A standardized greenhouse effect is actually beneficial for us as it helps keep the planet warm while providing a welcoming environment necessary to sustain life on earth. However, GHG emissions can also harm nature's delicate balance and the atmosphere's ability to reflect and retain heat. The presence of higher concentrations of GHGs in the atmosphere has been shown to lead to increased heat retention.
Some of the sources of these GHGs are well known and obvious, such as the consumption of fossil fuels for power generation, transportation, industry, and residential or commercial heating. However, agriculture and in particular the practice of raising livestock for meat is also a major producer of GHG emissions. This is because methane and nitrous oxide from livestock and other sources retain heat in the atmosphere much more efficiently than carbon dioxide, which is 296 times more efficient in the case of nitrous oxide and 23 times in the case of methane.
In fact, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations reports that the livestock sector contributes about 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions each year. The good news is that methane naturally dissipates from the atmosphere in less time than carbon dioxide - typically only 10 to 12 years. The bad news is that nitrous oxide persists in the atmosphere for about 114 years and that livestock populations are increasing due to the increased number of middle class, developing people around the world choosing to eat food. meat, as well as due to growing demand. Methane also exists as methane hydrates on the ocean floor.
These deposits are stable at lower temperatures. However, as the world warms and the oceans also get warmer, more methane could also be released into the atmosphere from underwater methane deposits.
According to the results of the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21), global warming may be limited to 2 degrees Celsius or less by 2100 if the agreed actions are taken. Mercer suggests in his report, Investing in a Changing Climate, that in order to limit global warming to an increase of 2 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial temperatures by 2050, the following actions would be needed:
Strong action to mitigate climate change: Emissions peak before 2020, followed by a 56% drop from 2010 levels, by 2050.
Fossil fuels are expected to represent less than half of the energy mix by 2050.
Estimated annual emissions of 22 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (GteqCO2) by 2050 - in 2015, actual emissions were 35.9 gigatonnes.
This seems to be asking a lot when you take into account that the cumulative investment in energy supply and efficiency (old fossil fuels) required over the period 2016-2050 in order to achieve this target would be around 65 thousand. billion US dollars. Given the quantity of GHGs already present
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