The True Cost of Climate Change

Abstract

This Editor's Corner has frequently brought to the forefront the social and monetary costs associated with the impacts of a changing climate. More frequent and volatile hurricanes and tornadoes, massive flooding, extreme heat conditions impacting farming, and reduced availability of potable water—leading to premature deaths—are undeniable. Alongside these issues, the increasing risk of forest fires due to severe, long-term drought conditions and human behavior (ignoring fire bans), fire hazards from downed power lines, and more lighting strikes from increasingly volatile storms place our communities and our health in danger.