Global warming has far-reaching implications that extend beyond environmental degradation. As the climate clock ticks down, the relationship between climate change, the global economy, and the emergence of infectious diseases only serves to highlight the multifaceted challenges humanity is now faced with.
Ana Botin, chair of Banco Santander SA, Brian Moynihan, chief executive officer of Bank of America Corp., Patrick Pouyanne, chief executive officer of Total SE, Steve Schwarzman, chief executive officer of Blackstone Group Inc., and Borge Brende, president of the World Economic Forum (WEF), left to right, on a panel during a virtual address by US President Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. The annual Davos gathering of political leaders, top executives and celebrities runs from January 20 to 24. Photographer: Stefan Wermuth/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Maliyah Simone, CRDN
March 21, 2025
Climate change poses significant threats to economic stability worldwide. A study by the University of Chicago projects that even the most minuscule of environmental changes could result in a 1% to 4% annual reduction in the United States’ GDP by the end of the century. The change would primarily be due to increased mortality, decreased labor productivity, and heightened energy demands.
On a global scale, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates that over the past decade, direct damages from climate-related disasters have totaled approximately $1.3 trillion, averaging about 0.2% of world GDP annually. These figures highlight the substantial economic burdens that nations must contend with as climate-related events such as hurricanes, tsunamis, and wildfires become more frequent and severe.
Despite the knowledge that something must be done, the Trump administration has chosen to pull out of the Paris Agreement; a treaty signed by 196 countries with aims to greenhouse gasses and slow climate change. Among other priorities, this agreement prioritizes green energy production, helps fund green initiatives across for the countries involved, and opens up the potential jobs in the green industry for workers.
Throughout his campaign, and now as president, Trump is quoted with the slogan: “Drill baby, drill.” With this as their motto, the Trump administration signed an executive order declaring a national energy emergency. The order, in essence, gives the government permission to allow oil and gas companies to expand operations further than they have before; including the use of private lands and resources.
The executive order nearly eliminates the potential for the creation of new jobs in the climate industry, including those jobs in factories that produce electric cars.
Global Warming and the Proliferation of Infectious Diseases
The warming climate significantly influences the dynamics of infectious diseases because rising temperatures and consistently changing precipitation patterns expand the habitats of vectors such as mosquitoes and ticks; therefore, facilitating the spread of diseases like malaria, dengue fever, and Lyme disease into previously unaffected regions. In fact, the bird-flu, which had previously only infected birds, has been seen in other species including mammals as the illness spreads across the globe. The spread, in part, is due to the birds relocating and traveling to areas they hadn’t before, which of course links back to climate change.
Even climate-induced changes in water systems can lead to the onslaught of waterborne pathogens. For instance, variations in rainfall and rising coastal water temperatures– including respiratory risks like red-tide– have been linked to increased occurrences of diseases caused by bacteria like Vibrio and E. coli.
A comprehensive study published in Nature Climate Change found that 58% of human pathogenic diseases have been aggravated by climatic hazards which further emphasizes the extensive impact that climate change has on global health.
As with the climate agenda, the Trump administration has also directed the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to cease their collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO). For context, the World Health Organization is the entity responsible for not only the declaration of global health emergencies such as the COVID-19 Pandemic, but also the collaborative response to these extreme diseases. Without the WHO, vaccines for COVID, tetanus, measles, and countless other illnesses could never have reached across the globe to ensure the near eradication or reduction of their spread.
Interconnected Challenges and the Path Forward
The intersection between global warming, economic stability, and public health presents a complex challenge. Economic activities which contribute to greenhouse gas emissions exacerbate climate change, which in turn leads to health crises and therefore economic disruptions. Addressing these issues requires comprehensive strategies that encompass environmental policies, economic reforms, and public health initiatives.
Investing in sustainable infrastructure, promoting green technologies, and enhancing disease surveillance systems are critical steps toward mitigating the adverse effects of climate change. International cooperation and policy alignment are essential to implement effective solutions that safeguard both the planet and its inhabitants. However, as the United States slips further and further into calamity, other countries have begun discussing action to counteract the consequences upon their regions due to the Trump administration’s outright rejection of climate initiatives.