Environmental and Climate Change

The poles are melting, glaciers are shrinking, the sea level is rising, precipitation and extreme storms are on the increase: climate change is one of the century's biggest challenges. Only if we take the right steps now will later generations have a future worth living.

The climate has always been subject to major fluctuations. Ice ages and warm periods have alternated over geological time, usually over thousands of decades. Since the middle of the 19th century, however, we have been heading for a warm period not seen for several million years. Nine of the warmest years since systematic temperature records began in 1861 have occurred in the last ten years.

Scientists largely agree that this "super-warm period" is "anthropogenic" or man-made. Besides the greenhouse gases from fossil fuels, artificially created substances like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) cause further heating of the atmosphere. If the projections of the UN's research bodies are right, the mean temperature of the earth's atmosphere will rise by several degrees Celsius by the end of 2100.

The impact on mankind, fauna and flora would be dramatic: floods, storms and droughts would happen more often and be more extreme; low-lying countries like Bangladesh or areas in fertile river deltas like the Nile would be salinised by the rise in sea level, and numerous small Pacific islands would disappear under the sea.

The United Nations recognised the danger and, since 1995, has been trying to curb climate change by holding regular climate summits. The Kyoto Protocol represents an important step, with its aim of reducing global CO2 emissions by around 5% compared with 1990 levels. It also took account of the special interests of developing countries.

The Munich Re Foundation sees itself in the special position of being able to draw on its benefactor’s unique technical knowledge on the impact and cost of climate change, and wants to turn this knowledge lead consistently into effective social action. Environmental and climate change are gradual processes with fatal consequences. We must act today and develop solutions for a future worth living.