U.N. Releases Shocking Report on Climate Change

Scientists originally believed that society and modern-day infrastructures were safe from the effects of climate change -- at least under the current rate of change. However, a newly revised report published by the United Nations (U.N.) reveals a grim, contrasting scenario to scientists' original theory. If countries do not take immediate action, millions of people will lose their lives or be displaced as a result of global climate change.

The U.N. released the report, Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability, earlier this week. It details the current state of the earth's climate, how humans are affecting the climate, our general lack of preparedness for future climate change, and what we can do to minimize our risk and better prepare for the upcoming change.

It's no longer a matter of if the climate will change, but instead how much of an impact it will have on modern-day society and infrastructures. As the report points out, climate change is already occurring, and its effects can be felt in every country, ocean and body of water across the globe.

From hurricanes and tornadoes to wild fires and droughts, the climate is changing and many of us are now feeling the effects. In 2013, the U.S. experienced over half a dozen severe weather disaster events, taking the lives of 109 individuals while causing over $7 billion damages.

While the U.N. report states that it's too late to avoid climate change, there are some steps we can take to reduce its impact on infrastructures, such as reducing carbon dioxide emissions and opting to build new homes and buildings on higher elevation.

"It’s very likely that if global warming continues along the current pathway, that we are likely to see more of the extreme heat that can be damaging to crops in the United States. In terms of water supply; we now know that further global warming is likely to increase how many extremely low snow years we experience in the western United States — this has important impacts for water supply in the western united states; When we look at sea level over the coming decade, this suggests we are likely to see increased risk of extremely strong storm surges in land falling storms and extremely large flooding event"

Do you agree with the U.N.'s report on climate change, or do you think it's merely a normal cycle with earth? Let us know in the comments section below!