What could go wrong? How $38tr in climate damages could knock a fifth off global income

James Murray
clock • 8 min read
Credit: iStock
Image:

Credit: iStock

Major new analysis from the Potsdam Institute warns climate impacts through to 2050 could do significantly more economic damage than previously expected

How bad could it get? One of the biggest uncertainties surrounding climate change is precisely how severe climate impacts could prove to be. Scientists have become increasingly adept at working out how...

To continue reading this article...

Join BusinessGreen

In just a few clicks you can start your free BusinessGreen Lite membership for 12 months, providing you access to:

  • Three complimentary articles per month covering the latest real-time news, analysis, and opinion from Europe’s leading source of information on the Green economy and business
  • Receive important and breaking news stories via our daily news alert
  • Our weekly newsletter with the best of the week’s green business news and analysis

Join now

 

Already a BusinessGreen member?

Login

More on Risk

Environment Agency exceeds flood protection target by 10,000 properties

Environment Agency exceeds flood protection target by 10,000 properties

Government surpasses original target of ensuring 52,000 properties are better protected from flooding through improved defences

clock 17 April 2026 • 3 min read
 Could AI help protect the UK's million 'undefended' properties from rising flood risks?

Could AI help protect the UK's million 'undefended' properties from rising flood risks?

New AI-powered flood readiness model helps identify over a million undefended buildings across England at growing risk from flooding

clock 15 April 2026 • 7 min read
Global food systems may be functional - but they are far from resilient

Global food systems may be functional - but they are far from resilient

No country has built a truly resilient food system, which presents a real and present risk for businesses and policymakers today, writes Pratima Singh from the Food Imperative initiative at Economist Enterprise

Pratima Singh, Economist Enterprise
clock 13 April 2026 • 7 min read