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The Climate Alarm Bell Is Ringing Loudly
Climate warming has moved from scientific projection to daily headline. Recent IPCC AR6 warnings and 2025 studies show we have already locked in the loss of up to 40 % of the world’s glaciers if emissions stay on today’s path.(theguardian.com) Businesses, investors, and communities can no longer treat climate change impacts as tomorrow’s problem—the costs are arriving now.
Green Metrics exists to help purpose-driven organisations navigate these risks and seize low-carbon opportunities. This blog breaks down:
Climate Change—What Is It?
Climate change is the statistically significant alteration in global or regional climate patterns persisting for decades or longer. While Earth’s climate has always varied, the pace since the Industrial Revolution—fuelled by fossil-fuel combustion, deforestation, and industrial agriculture—is unprecedented.
Key Drivers
Greenhouse Gases (GHGs): CO₂, CH₄, N₂O trap heat and raise average temperatures.
Land-Use Change: Deforestation reduces carbon sinks and alters local climates.
Aerosols & Feedback Loops: Melting ice lowers albedo, further warming the planet.
According to the IPCC Sixth Assessment Synthesis Report (2023), global surface temperature has already risen 1.1 °C above pre-industrial levels.(ipcc.ch, ipcc.ch) Exceeding 1.5 °C dramatically widens climate risks.
The Top Climate Change Impacts in 2025
2.1 Physical Risks
Extreme Weather Surges — Heatwaves, ‘once-in-a-century’ floods, and Category 5 cyclones are becoming regular events.
Cryosphere Loss — Nearly 40 % of glaciers are on an irreversible melting path, threatening freshwater supplies and raising sea levels.(theguardian.com)
Sea-Level Rise — Coastal flooding imperils $14 trillion in global real-estate assets.
Biodiversity Erosion — Species extinction risk accelerates with habitat shifts.
2.2 Socio-Economic Risks
Food & Water Stress — Yield declines up to 25 % in climate-sensitive crops by 2030.
Health Impacts — Vector-borne diseases expanding their range; heat stress already causes ~500,000 additional deaths annually.
Economic Drag — IMF research shows temperature uncertainty alone can cut firm-level productivity, compounding macro losses.(imf.org)
2.3 Transition Risks
Policy Shifts — Carbon pricing & disclosure mandates tighten.
Market Sentiment — Investors divest from high-carbon portfolios, raising capital costs.
Why Climate Warming Matters: More Than Just Heat
‘Climate warming’ specifically points to the average temperature increase. Why does 0.1 °C matter? Because every fraction multiplies risk probabilities:
| Warming Level | Additional Population Exposed to Severe Heat | Expected GDP Loss (2100) |
|---|---|---|
| 1.5 °C | +14 % | 2 – 4 % |
| 2 °C | +37 % | 8 – 10 % |
| 3 °C | +60 % | 15 – 34 % |
ESG-Driven Strategies to Reduce Climate Change Impacts
Measure & Disclose — Start with enterprise-wide carbon footprinting (Scopes 1-3) using standards like GHG Protocol.
Mitigate — Science-based targets (SBTi) to halve emissions by 2030.
Adapt — Physical-risk mapping, climate-resilient supply chains, nature-based solutions.
Innovate — Invest in renewables, circular economy, and green-finance instruments.
Engage — Transparent reporting aligns with ISSB & CSRD requirements, building stakeholder trust.
How Green Metrics Can Help
Climate Risk Assessment Services — Quantify exposure to physical & transition risks.
Decarbonisation Roadmaps — Custom pathways aligned with Net-Zero by 2050.
ESG Data & Reporting — Automated dashboards meeting GRI, SASB, and SEBI-BRSR.
Training & Change Management — Upskill teams on climate governance.
