Source: http://www.rmmagazine.com/, April 1, 2021
By: John J. Heft, RT Environmental & Construction Professional Practice

Climate change has already begun to reshape the planet and the ways we live and conduct business. Unfortunately, many scientists project the negative effects will only get worse. The 1,300-member Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change forecasts a temperature rise of 2.5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit over the next century.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2020 was the second-warmest year on record, falling below 2016 and just above 2019. As the climate continues to change, the resulting spate of heat waves, wildfires and severe storms is likely to compromise nearly every region’s infrastructure, agriculture and ecosystems. In fact, a study by the National Centers for Environmental Information found that the top five storm-related disasters in 2018 and 2019 alone combined to cause more than $75 billion in U.S. damages. Read more.