"Until he extends his circle of compassion to include all living things, man will not himself find peace."
What does climate change have to do with peace?
As a warming planet causes stronger hurricanes, severe droughts in one region and extreme floods in another, and raises sea levels, it is predicted that millions of people will longer be able to live in places they currently call home. As refugees of climate change pour into neighboring lands and countries, they will put great stress on the social and economic systems of their new homes causing animosity, eventually leading to outright conflict with the natives.
Countries who may think they are immune to climate change refugees in other parts of the world will come under increasing pressure to help support the burden of dealing with people affected by global warming. They will also be deprived of essential resources they currently import from the affected nations as those resources are diverted to support their own growing populations.
With each passing day that we fail to act, the problem continues to grow. We are at the cusp where the fate of world peace hangs in the balance waiting for us to tip it in one direction or another.
If these dire predictions do not come to pass, it will only be due to people waking up to the dangers of climate change and embracing solutions to fighting climate change that can be enacted right now, not 5-10 years into the future when it may already be too late.
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