Gloria Dickie

(Reuters) – While climate change is a serious threat to every part of the globe, not all areas are equally at risk.

Peter Alexander (University of Edinburgh), a researcher and lead author of Monday’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) report, stated that all of us are at risk.

The future of certain countries could be determined by rising sea levels or melting ice, but others will face raging wildfires as well as extreme heat. The challenges and opportunities are different across the globe, as well as communities’ attempts to adapt.

These are just a few of the ways that climate change could impact every region, if we don’t act quickly enough:

ASIA

Water can form lakes when it pools behind the ridges of rocky rocks as Himalayan glaciers melt. Water can rush down from these rocks, threatening mountain communities downstream.

The warmer weather and heavier rains encourage mosquitoes capable of carrying diseases like dengue fever, malaria and other parasites to spread across subtropical Asia.

Millions of people are expected to be moving. More than 9,000,000 people in Asia fled their homes due to flooding or storms in 2019.

AFRICA

Africans live on Africa’s most arid continent. This means they are particularly vulnerable to heat stress. At least 15 people would perish each year from extreme heat if global warming exceeds 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit).

Africa will see a rapid increase in its population over the next 20 years, with many people living near coastal areas. Over 200 million people will be affected by sea level rise in Africa by 2060.

Lagos, Nigeria’s coast capital, will be the largest city in the world by 2100. Winston Chow from Singapore Management University, another IPCC lead author on urban climate science said that high heat exposure and urbanization in Africa are dangerous combinations.

CENTRAL AND SUTHER AMERICA

Amazon rainforest (NASDAQ;) and its thousands of animals and plants are at risk from droughts and wildfires. Farmers clearing forests for crops makes it even more vulnerable.

In parts of Central America and northeast Brazil, flooding and droughts are likely to worsen. This could result in waves of immigration, due to geopolitical or economic instability.

People will get sick from the mosquito-borne diseases Zika, Chikungunya and Dengue fever.

EUROPE

If the global warming rate reaches 3C, then Europe’s 2019 heatwave was merely a preview of what lies ahead. The report states that heat-related death and heat stress cases will triple to 1.5C by then.

Above 3C “there are limitations to the adapt potential of people, existing health systems”

The potential for coastal flooding to cause damage that is more than just sinking Venice by increasing 10x or more before the end of this century.

The current European adaptation strategies are not sufficient, despite their relative wealth. Researchers predict continued heat death, crop failure, and water rationing in drought areas of Southern Europe over the next decade.

NORTH AMERICA

In the west United States and Canada large wildfires continue to burn trees and create dark skies, creating destruction and loss of livelihoods and contributing to water and air pollution.

Even with global warming being kept below 1.5C, severe storms and hurricanes will continue to threaten many areas of the United States. These storms and hurricanes will cause disruptions in global supply chains as well as international trade.

Many species will be at risk in Arctic due to melting of sea ice and warming temperatures.

AUSTRALASIA

Australia’s Great Barrier Reef will be at a critical adaptation point beyond 1.5C. The reef and its kelp forests are experiencing irreversible damage from the marine heatwaves. This will result in a sharp drop in tourism revenues.

Extreme fires could ravage southern, eastern and northern Australia as well as parts of New Zealand.

As Australia’s forests become dry, the forests of northern jarrah, snowgum and alpine Ash will all be in danger.