US National GDP Will Drop for Every Degree-Rise in Global Temperature

The UN's Sustainable Development Goals are 17 encompassing objectives meant to address the world's most pressing health, educational, social and economic issues by 2030. This month, the UN General Assembly, as well as many of the governing bodies behind the UN's SDGs, will be convening and we'll be breaking down a goal a day.

Fortunately, several pieces of global framework, including the Paris climate agreement, show a growing consciousness across the globe. But it will be up to every member state to make sure this, and other agreements, are held up. Our planet depends on it.

Climate change has far reaching social, economic, and environmental impacts, and not all countries and regions will feel the effects equally.

While the U.S. is expected to see an average 0.7 percent drop in national GDP for every 1 degree Fahrenheit increase in global temperature, the most susceptible parts of the country, especially states that are already warm like Texas and Arizona, could see GDP cuts of 20 percent or more if further action isn't taken.

Pair this with a potential quartering of global species diversity, and increased risk of drought, flooding and other natural disasters, and it becomes clear that action needs to be taken, today, tomorrow, and forever, to mitigate the already steep impact of global climate change.

Pressure global leaders, decrease your own carbon emissions, and organize at the community level to help decrease the growing impact of climate change.

Abroad

The International Institute for Sustainable Development and Climate Action Network International both zero-in on international collaboration and scalable projects as leading tools for fight climate change, but it's organizations like the Indian Youth Climate Network and Project 90 by 2030 that really make changes at the community level.

IYCN provides youth climate leadership training, campus initiatives, and rural climate fellowships to increase youth and young adult engagement in climate change across India. Project 90 by 2030 also zeros-in on foster a new generation of climate leaders while supporting sustainable public policies across South Africa and promoting actionable, climate-friendly household initiatives like air drying laundry and carpooling.

At Home

Nations have a responsibility to develop sustainable, inclusive policies to fight climate change, and the U.S. has been doing anything but that in recent months.

With the U.S. pulling out of the Paris climate agreement, and President Trump attempting to repeal the Obama-era Clean Power Plan, it's more important than ever to make sure your representatives know that progressive climate policy is a constituent priority.

Organizations like Citizens Climate Lobby and 350 also offer opportunities to take action against climate change through climate advocacy trainings, calls to representatives, and opportunities to meet other engaged people, both online and on the ground, to foster collaboration for a more sustainable future.

To learn more about the SDGs, head to the Goalkeepers site created by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.