How Climate Change Is Already Affecting Daily Life

Rapid Summary

• Impact on Daily life: Climate change disrupts everyday experiences such as allergies,commute times,air pollution levels,sleep quality,and food costs. These effects compound over time.
• Economic Consequences: Rising global temperatures are driving inflation, with food prices especially affected due to the vulnerability of agriculture. Projections estimate annual inflation increases between 0.5% to 1.2% by 2035 depending on greenhouse gas emissions.
• Energy Costs: Increased temperatures are leading to greater dependence on air conditioning globally and higher energy bills, offsetting reduced heating expenses in some areas.
• Health Impacts:

– Hotter nights reduce sleep duration; projections show climate change could cause people in China alone to lose up to 33 hours of sleep annually by the end of the century under worst-case scenarios.
– Air pollution becomes more harmful at higher temperatures due to changing pollutant compositions and increased exposure via wildfire smoke or power plant emissions during peak demand periods.
– Allergy seasons are lengthening due to warmer climates and higher CO2 concentrations; pollen production has increased by 21% since the 1990s in North America.

• Transportation Delays: Rising sea levels and extreme weather lead to more frequent delays for air travel, trains, and daily commutes.

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