Climate Variability

Introduction Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges facing our world today. The effects of climate change are already being felt around the globe, in the form of more extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and changes in temperature and precipitation patterns. Climate change adaptation is the process of adjusting to the actual or expected effects of climate change. It involves taking steps to reduce the risks posed by climate change and to capitalize on any opportunities that it may present. Investors have a key role to play…

In the evolving realm of finance and investment, numerous variables play a crucial role in shaping the future. Historically, market players have been most concerned with economic cycles, inflation rates, and global politics. However, a new contender has emerged, eclipsing traditional concerns and presenting an unparalleled challenge: climate change. The sheer scope, complexity, and longevity of this issue make it an unprecedented force in the world of finance and beyond. While its implications stretch across every corner of our planet, from ecosystems to human societies, our primary focus here will…

The familiar hum of air conditioning, once a backdrop to scorching summers in only certain regions of the U.S., is becoming an increasingly expensive yet essential feature in parts of the country where a mere opening of windows used to suffice. The Pacific Northwest, especially, is experiencing this phenomenon as residents grapple with the financial implications of extended heat waves and the surge in air-conditioning usage. According to data from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA), households in the Pacific region, comprising states such as California, Oregon, and Washington,…

As a decade-long, most widespread drought ravages the U.S. farm sector, a stark divide is emerging between winners and losers. Over half of U.S. corn and soybean acreage is grappling with drought conditions, prompting farmers to mull over whether insurance payments will suffice to cover the cost of the crops they have sown this year. As of June 27, 65% of the Midwest was experiencing moderate drought or worse, the largest area in a decade, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has reported that 70%…

Just as the world was starting to breathe a sigh of relief after the tumultuous impact of the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on food prices, a new threat looms on the horizon. A drought spanning across America’s breadbasket threatens to exacerbate food inflation, further straining consumers’ wallets. The dry spell has affected the wheat fields of the Great Plains and the Corn Belt in the Upper Midwest, leaving some areas with mere fractions of their regular rainfall as we approach crucial growing periods for corn and soybeans. This…