The superstorms in the Southeast are another reminder of the growing cost of delayed action on climate change.

Damage from severe weather events costs the United States billions of dollars each year. However, the Climate Policy Initiative estimates that continuing as we are would lead to warming beyond 3°C, costing the global economy an additional $1,266 trillion by 2100.

A trillion here, a trillion there. Before long, it starts to add up.

CPI’s estimate takes into account both economic and social costs, from anticipated disaster recovery and productivity loss to impacts on health and biodiversity. This is under the business-as-usual scenario. If Trump is reelected and rolls back Biden’s administration’s progress on climate change, the costs will be much, much higher.

It’s difficult for us mere mortals to conceptualize a number that big, much less what it means to us personally. That’s why Consumer Reports commissioned a study to learn more about the growing impact of climate change on our wallets.

In a high-emissions warming scenario, they found that climate change will cost the average American born today $480,000 over the course of their lifetime. Here’s the breakdown:

• $125,000 for housing maintenance and insurance;
• $88,000 in energy costs due to higher demand and electricity/gas prices;
• $33,000 for food, thanks to precipitation changes, warmer temperatures, and severe weather events disrupting supply chains;
• $9,000 for healthcare and transportation;
• $200,000 in taxes to accommodate greater government spending;
• And $25,000 in lost wages and working hours due to severe weather and health impacts.

But there’s also so much at stake beyond the money.

In the past week alone, we have seen the devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene on communities in the southeastern United States. People are without power, food, and clean drinking water. Many have lost their homes. And it will be a long time before we know how many have lost their lives.

There is no denying that climate change made this tragedy worse. A rapid attribution study from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory suggests that the affected areas saw up to 50% more rainfall as a result of planetary warming—and that the rainfall was made 20 times more likely in those areas for the same reason.

For some parts of Florida, this is the third time they’ve been hit this year, and as we write this, Hurricane Milton is barreling toward the Tampa Bay area.  Our hearts go out to those impacted by these climate-charged tragedies. No one should have to face this level of tragedy made worse by politicians who refuse to accept the science.

So what can we do? As always, the antidote to despair is ACTION!