Understanding the costs of inaction on climate change

The costs of climate change are already devastating local communities and economies. Without action, those costs will escalate.

Climate change is already taking a heavy toll on communities across the U.S.— from record-breaking wildfires, rising heat, chronic flooding and more. The impacts will only grow worse without urgent action. Now, research can show us the potential cost of climate inaction; not just 50 years from now when our children and grandchildren will pay the price, but within the next 10 to 20 years.

In this research series, we highlight near-term costs of climate inaction across four states: Florida, Arizona, Iowa and North Carolina.

Date updated: December 1, 2020

Our work

Using research on future climate change impacts, we analyze several potential costs of inaction, ranging from property tax revenue to heat-related deaths.

Florida

Arizona

North Carolina

Iowa

The costs of extreme weather are on the rise too

Learn how climate-fueled extreme weather disasters are getting worse.