As global average temperatures rise due to greenhouse gas emissions, the effects on the planet, such as melting ice caps, extreme weather, drought and rising sea levels, will threaten populations and livelihoods, said the report conducted by humanitarian organisation DARA.
It calculated that five million deaths occur each year from air pollution, hunger and disease as a result of climate change and carbon-intensive economies, and that toll would likely rise to six million a year by 2030 if current patterns of fossil fuel use continue.
Current fossil fuel patterns of course won't continue, shortages will see to that. But the real problem is that those who will suffer the most will be in South America and especially Africa.
More than 90 percent of those deaths will occur in developing countries, said the report that calculated the human and economic impact of climate change on 184 countries in 2010 and 2030. It was commissioned by the Climate Vulnerable Forum, a partnership of 20 developing countries threatened by climate change.
"A combined climate-carbon crisis is estimated to claim 100 million lives between now and the end of the next decade," the report said.
The argument I hear the most about why we can't and shouldn't do a single thing about this issue is that the costs will drive us into an instant and prolonged economic depression. If the DARA report is right, doing nothing is exactly what will put the planet in a global depression.
It said the effects of climate change had lowered global output by 1.6 percent of world GDP, or by about $1.2 trillion a year, and losses could double to 3.2 percent of global GDP by 2030 if global temperatures are allowed to rise, surpassing 10 percent before 2100.
3.2% of global GDP is a pretty brutal cut. Oh yeah, and 100 million dead, well, that's not so great either.
I continue to say that the climate change denial movement of the early 21st century will be looked back upon as one of Earth's greatest tragedies.
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