Is climate change a net benefit to society?

Human-caused climate change has been a net detriment to society as measured by loss of life, economic harm and ecosystem damage.

Between 2000 and 2019, climate change caused $2.86 trillion in damages from extreme weather like storms, floods, droughts, and wildfires. Nearly 61,000 net deaths were linked to climate change during this time. 

Ocean acidification from CO2 emissions has degraded coral reefs, which provide trillions of dollars in ecosystem services annually by sustaining fisheries and protecting coasts.

Habitat loss from climate change has contributed to an extinction rate at least 100 times higher than pre-industrial times.

And while some regions have seen short-term agricultural benefits like longer growing seasons, climate change has negatively impacted overall crop output; one study estimated global productivity is 20% lower than it would have been without climate change.

As global temperatures continue to rise, these and other issues are projected to worsen.