Climate Crisis AM 2/14/24 Time To Worry About Health Insurance
Home insurance has increased or is not available in many parts of the US because of climate change-related risks. According to The Wall Street Journal, some Americans may have a similar problem with health insurance. The paper described the trend. “Health insurance could be next, as research shows extreme heat and wildfires are putting more people in the hospital.” Research firms have already started listing cities with high air pollution risk. Real estate firm Redfin recently published an analysis of cities among the top 100 metros by population with a 100% risk of poor air quality in the next 30 years. These include San Francisco. In terms of heat, Phoenix already has over 90 days of temperatures above 100 degrees F each year. Insurers see these risks and the fact that they are growing.
State Trouble: 5 states in peril
Texas Trouble: Low on energy
AI may make climate forecasts more accurate. The hardware that it runs on also uses massive amounts of electricity, the generation of which can harm the environment. The Conversation reports AI could improve energy consumption patterns based on demand forecasts across the grid. AI can also help people decide whether to have green transportation products depending on where they live and travel. AI may also help decisions about disaster management. Despite these advantages, energy consumption may be so large that it trumps them. Scientific American recently reported that adopting AI and its servers “would consume at least 85.4 terawatt-hours of electricity annually—more than what many small countries use in a year, according to the new assessment.” The debate may not end for some time as the uses of AI, a relatively new technology, are more well-understood.
UN Hope It Can Change Climate Change
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addressed the effects of climate change at a Security Council meeting. He commented that a lack of food for millions of people threatened international security. Guterres called member nations to “build a livable, sustainable future, free from hunger, and free from the scourge of war.” Unfortunately, the UN has proven to be almost completely ineffective in addressing international problems in a way that triggers action. It is hard to say what climate change will be any different.
