From worsening hurricanes and other extreme weather to fatal heatwaves and droughts to massive extinctions in the animal world, a recent United Nations report brings the issue into stark relief — our time to act meaningfully is limited.
The State of Climate Change and Its Effects
If no further action is taken to save the world from climate change, the temperatures could go as high as 4.8 degrees Celsius in 100 years, meaning that they can not only bring up the Earth’s surface temperatures but also cause: unpredictable weather patterns, droughts, and heatwaves, stronger and more intense hurricanes, the rise of the sea level, and increasingly reduce the amount of drinking water on Earth.
In comparison, a projected rise of only 2.5 degrees will potentially cause a 15% drop in the global GDP and loss of many small businesses. These issues will have direct effects on health, finance, agriculture and education.
What can you, a humble small-business owner, do in the face of this global-scale crisis? Well, the answer might surprise you.
Much of the global climate change we’ve seen over the past few decades is linked to a shockingly small number of companies, meaning that business often is part of the problem. But that also means the business can be part of the solution.
A small, local business might not be able to influence the majority of the world’s economy to act. But change starts at home, and given their importance in the U.S. and global economies, small businesses just may be able to act where politicians seem unable to.
In this infographic, we’ll explore the state of the climate around the world (again, it’s bad), how global warming impacts businesses, and how even the smallest business can make a difference.
