Fighting Climate Change Is Far Cheaper Than Paying For It

If You Think Fighting Climate Change Will Be Expensive, Calculate the Cost of Letting It Happen

Dante Disparte, June 12, 2017 (Harvard Business Review)

“…[The Trump Administration’s argument for leaving the COP21 Paris Agreement] echoes a common political talking point: that fighting climate change is bad for the economy…[But] climate change itself is bad for the economy and investing in climate resilience is not only a national security priority, but an enormous economic opportunity...The share of national GDP at risk from climate change exceeds $1.5 trillion in the 301 major cities around the world. Including the impact of human pandemics – which are likely to become more severe as the planet warms — the figure increases to nearly $2.2 trillion in economic output at risk through 2025.

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… The correlation between climate change, human pandemics, and economic and other risks, cannot be isolated; they’re all connected…That makes the shift away from a carbon-based economy as inexorable as the rising tide and temperature. Indeed, the renewable energy sector is one of the fastest growing employers in the U.S., with solar alone accounting for nearly 400,000 jobs, proving that investing in climate resilience not only makes for good policy, it makes for good business. The business opportunities of investing in climate change, renewable energy, and human adaptation are big enough to create a new generation of billionaires…” click here for more

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