ABSTRACT
Two of the most signi…cant components of climate change that must be kept near the forefront of the issue are economics and the socioeconomic implications associated with any relative economic decisions made. This chapter discusses those components. It begins by looking at how climate change relates to economic considerations overall and then delves into speci…c sectors of the economy to see how they will be affected as temperatures begin to change, rainfall and wind patterns shift, and seasonal timing is altered. The chapter will explore the impacts of drought and deserti…cation on the economy, what can be expected in the future for the …shing and forestry industries, how changes in the world’s monsoon patterns will affect the lives of millions of people, what it means for agriculture and food production, how signi…cant the impacts to the recreation and tourism industry are expected to be, how it will now affect the healthcare system, and what it means for the transportation and energy industries. Finally, this chapter examines the economic effects that all these impacts will have-and are currently having-on the insurance industry and who is carrying that economy burden, the Stern Review and what it foretells, and …nally how we, as a world community, can meet the challenges of climate change impacts.
