Climate Change and Its Impacts

David Wallace-Wells discusses the current perception of climate stability and the potential future impacts of climate change. He highlights the best case scenario of 1.5 degrees Celsius warming and the challenges of achieving it without negative emissions technology. The discussion extends to the severe impacts on island nations and major cities, predicting a significant increase in climate refugees. Wallace-Wells warns of worst case scenarios, including 4.3 degrees Celsius warming, which could lead to catastrophic economic and social consequences. He emphasizes the importance of addressing feedback loops that could exacerbate warming beyond human control.

What is the current perception of climate stability according to the speaker?

• The world is unpredictable.

• The world is rapidly changing.

• The world is improving.

• The world is basically stable.

What is considered the best-case scenario for global warming?

• 2.5 degrees Celsius

• 4 degrees Celsius

• 1.5 degrees Celsius

• 3 degrees Celsius

Why is staying below 2 degrees Celsius challenging?

• Political disagreements

• Insufficient funding

• Negative emissions technology is untested at scale

• Lack of technology

What could be a consequence of a 2-degree Celsius increase in temperature?

• Increased rainfall

• Lethally hot summers in major cities

• More snowfall

• Decreased sea levels

How many climate refugees does the UN predict by 2050?

• 1 billion

• 200 million

• 50 million

• 100 million

What was the impact of the Syrian refugee crisis on European politics?

• It led to Brexit and political transformation.

• It stabilized European politics.

• It improved international relations.

• It had no impact.

What is the predicted economic impact of a 4.3-degree Celsius increase?

• $300 trillion

• $1 trillion

• $600 trillion

• $900 trillion

What is a feedback loop in the climate system?

• A process that has no effect on climate

• A process that cools the Earth

• A process that accelerates warming

• A process that stabilizes the climate

What is the albedo effect?

• The reflection of sunlight by white surfaces

• The absorption of sunlight by black surfaces

• The melting of glaciers

• The emission of greenhouse gases

What could happen if Arctic permafrost melts?

• Release of carbon dioxide

• Release of methane

• Increase in sea ice

• Decrease in global temperatures