FROM RISING SEA LEVELS TO A SURGE IN CHILD MARRIAGES: MAPPING THE MULTIFARIOUS EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND ITS WEB OF DIRE CONSEQUENCES

Abstract

There is no single, identifiable beginning to the climate crisis, nor a distinct denouement. There are, however, distinguishable pathways between observed climate change related phenomena and extraneous issues. These pathways offer invaluable insight and hold the key to a comprehensive solution. The climate crisis has expanded far beyond the purview of a single solution, and unless humanity confronts climate change immediately, the crisis will advance to the point of no return. We have run out of time for laggard policy debates, and while the climate crisis poses unprecedented collective action issues and ideological barriers, humanity cannot afford to dawdle. Only by recognizing the interrelations between effects can the crisis be addressed in full. There appears to be a gap in knowledge regarding the scope of the climate crisis and the web of ancillary problems. This project aims to consolidate existing information into a sequential map to fill this gap and bespeak the magnitude of the climate crisis. Additionally, future ramifications are identified by pairing observed effects with documented case studies and historical patterns. Mapping the climate crisis is the first step to overcoming humanity’s most formidable threat.