Introduction
If the world does not address climate change, workforce shifts, apocalyptic issues, water shortage, and biodiversity decline will occur, and we will end up with collapsed civilization. According to Amanda Ruggeri (2017), major climatic changes will heavily impact the workforce, where organizations will become more concerned about global threats and need relevant workers. According to Alex Williams (2017), climate change will result in apocalyptic conditions, which require extra measures. Chris Young (2019) argues that extreme heat increases will lead to severe water shortages. Chelsea Harvey (2018) claims that climate change will have dire ramifications on biodiversity by facilitating species loss. Thus, many organizations might need climatologists to make future business decisions. People might have serious problems with getting shelter and food. In addition, water might become a highly scarce form of resource. Several species will most likely disappear due to sudden changes. It is important to analyze the most probable shifts in the workforce first.
Workforce
Many businesses and employees will be heavily affected by the changes in the climate due to newly emerging environmental threats and risk management factors. Ruggeri (2017) states: “job postings in the renewable energy sector – made up of bioenergy, geothermal, hydroelectric, solar, and wind – accounted for a third (32.9%) of all energy-sector job postings in the first quarter of 2014. In 2017, that had risen to over half of all energy sector job postings or 51.5%.” (para. 14). There is a growing need for professionals that understand the impact of climate change on the energy sector. More and more climate experts will be needed alongside engineers specialized in green energy. It affects all societies, especially the younger generation, who will have to take on these roles. There would be a gradual increase in vacancies in the energy sector. Future generations will be faced with high demand for climatologists and engineers for green energy. Ruggeri (2017) also writes: “Coca-Cola, Ikea, and Walmart also have committed to 100% renewable energy” (para. 23). This means that large corporations are becoming more aware of global changes in the environment, and therefore, they will initiate the shift from fossil fuel to green energy sources among corporate and business entities. It is important because many organizations will realize the magnitude of the threat of climate change. It affects all forms of organizations, including non-profit and for-profit ones. Currently, it would mean that many large companies will seek to reduce their dependency on the fossil fuel industry. Future generations will have to consider the importance of energy renewability when opening a business or stepping into an organization. These changes do not take into account the potential severity of global warming.
Apocalyptic Issues
One needs to be aware that drastic climatic changes can force everyone to become a survivalist. Williams (2017) states: “In the event of a megadisaster that leaves parts of the city uninhabitable, survivors might require cheap, stormproof shelter to start a new life” (para. 34). In other words, necessities can become a major issue in case of severe climate change. It is important to consider because everyone will need shelter, especially during extreme conditions. It affects entire populations because such a disaster will not skip a nation. Currently, experts would have to work on predicting the magnitude of the threat. Future generations might face highly difficult challenges that will require outstanding survivalist skills. Williams (2017) also claims: “That is why many survivalists are placing their hopes of sustenance in rabbit, a high-protein, low-fat meat that is also being embraced as “the new chicken” by sustainable food types including Michael Pollan” (para. 40). A drastic climate change can also reduce the overall availability of food. It is critically important because food is one of the key basic needs. It also affects all people and they would need to plan for potential shortages of food by strengthening supply chains. Future generations will be stroke the hardest, and finding food might become a daily problem for them. Nonetheless, shelter and food are no match to the dire consequences of water unavailability.
Water Shortage
Climate change is often associated with extreme temperate fluctuations, which can lead to water shortages. Young (2019) writes: “Reduced water availability could affect up to 2 billion people” (para. 5). This means that a significant part of the global population can experience the serious issue of not having enough water. Water is a necessity and it is more important than food. It will affect almost a quarter of the world’s population, which will lead to mass suffering and death from dehydration. Currently, it would lead to massive deaths in water-vulnerable African nations. Future generations will have no other choice than to find ways to purify oceanic water. Young (2019) also writes: “Firstly, that drastic measures are needed to avert disastrous climate change. Secondly, extreme scenario planning is a necessity in the case that these measures are not undertaken — or aren’t enough” (para. 6). In other words, the severity of climate change will depend on the actions that are being taken now. These extreme scenarios are likely if no preventative measures will be conducted. It affects the government and it would mean that officials and the public need to start acting immediately. Future generations will face challenges, and their severity will be directly reliant on the measure being undertaken now. Children of the future will most likely learn about many well-known animal species through museum representations of stuffed preservation, videos, and images.
Biodiversity
Climate change will inevitably hurt biodiversity all over the globe. Harvey (2018) writes: “In Africa, it could cause some animals to decline by as much as 50 percent by the end of the century, and up to 90 percent of coral reefs in the Pacific Ocean may bleach or degrade by the year 2050” (para. 2). In the recent future, a significant portion of all animal species will be extinct. It is important because ecosystems rely on species interacting with each other by fulfilling specific roles. It primarily affects African nations, which rely on local animals as part of their ecosystem and tourist attraction. It would lead to severe ecosystem imbalances due to the loss of key species. Future generations might perceive elephants and lions similarly to dinosaurs – beasts of the past. Harvey (2018) also argues: “Deforestation, the destruction of wetlands and other forms of land conversion can release massive amounts of carbon into the atmosphere, which may worsen global warming” (para. 7). One should note that biodiversity loss also affects plants and deforestation will facilitate global warming. It will affect all nations, especially in the equatorial area, due to the high density of forests and higher temperatures. It would hasten the progression of global warming and biodiversity loss. Future generations will live in an environment with elevated levels of carbon.
Conclusion
In conclusion, if the world does not address climate change, workforce shifts, apocalyptic issues, water shortage, and biodiversity decline will occur, and we will end up with collapsed civilization. The article states: “the researchers argue that the only way forward is establishing a worldwide zero-emissions, industrial and economic strategy” (Young, 2019, para. 10). Humanity will probably survive drastic climatic changes, but the price for inaction will be manifested in mass death and suffering. People must stop living for short-term gains and start to prepare for the real and no longer political dangers of global warming.
References
Harvey, C. (2018). Climate change is becoming a top threat to biodiversity. Scientific American.
Ruggeri, A. (2017). How climate change will transform business and the workforce. Future Now. Web.
Williams, A. (2017). How to survive the apocalypse? The New York Times.
Young, C. (2019). Study finds climate change could cause a civilization collapse by 2050. Interesting Engineering. Web.