A climate apocalypse is a term that describes a possible future situation where human society around the world might fall apart because of climate change. This could happen if several connected problems occur at the same time, such as food shortages, very severe weather, wars, and the spread of diseases. Other terms that are sometimes used to describe similar ideas include climate dystopia, collapse, endgame, and catastrophe.

Meaning of the term

A climate apocalypse might happen if several connected problems occur at the same time, such as food shortages (from lost crops and dry conditions), severe weather (like hurricanes and flooding), wars (caused by limited resources), conflicts, problems linked to migration, famine, or fighting, and the spread of diseases.

The idea of climate change and civilizational collapse suggests that the harmful effects of climate change could reduce the complexity of global society to the point where advanced human civilizations no longer exist worldwide. This idea is often connected to the possibility that climate change might cause a large drop in the human population due to direct and indirect effects. It also includes the idea that Earth's ability to support life might permanently decrease. Some people think that a collapse of human society caused by climate change could eventually lead to human extinction.

Origin

Rhetoric and belief about the end of the world have long been important in religious traditions. Similar ways of speaking also appear in non-religious discussions about climate change. Historically, people have thought about the end of the world in two main ways: the tragic view and the comic view. The tragic view sees the world as clearly divided between good and evil, with events that are already decided. In contrast, the comic view focuses on people's mistakes and shows events that happen over time without a clear end. Important books in environmentalism, like Rachel Carson's Silent Spring (1962), Paul and Anne Ehrlich's The Population Bomb (1972), and Al Gore's Earth in the Balance (1992), use these ideas.

In the Western world, people have used images from the Christian faith, like the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, to describe climate-related disasters.

Usage

Science fiction books often explore "climate apocalypse" scenarios, where extreme weather or environmental changes lead to major disasters. For example, in The Wind from Nowhere (1961), strong, constant winds like hurricanes destroy human civilization. In The Drowned World (1962), rising sea levels and melted ice caps are caused by increased solar radiation. In The Burning World (1964, later retitled The Drought), a severe drought results from human actions, such as pollution disrupting the water cycle.

Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower (1993) imagines a near-future United States where climate change, unequal wealth, and greedy corporations create widespread disaster. In this book and its sequel, Parable of the Talents (1998), Butler shows how problems like instability and leaders who use fear or anger can worsen society’s existing issues, such as racism and sexism. She also explores ideas about surviving and being strong in difficult times. Butler wrote the book to think about how current actions might shape the future.

Margaret Atwood’s dystopian trilogy—Oryx and Crake (2003), The Year of the Flood (2009), and MaddAddam (2013)—also addresses climate change. In Oryx and Crake, Atwood describes a world where social inequality, genetic technology, and serious climate change lead to a major disaster.

Reception

Some researchers believe that society may struggle to understand a true prediction about the end of the world. Instead, governments might be more likely to take helpful actions to avoid disaster if reports describe the problem as less serious than it is. Discussing possible disasters can influence society by making people think that if the situation was truly bad, there would already be strong plans in place to stop it, so no additional steps would be needed.

Related terminology

The term "climate endgame" describes the risk of societies breaking down and the possibility of the human race ending because of climate change effects. This term is used to help manage risks by focusing more attention on the worst possible outcomes. It aims to encourage action, build stronger communities, and create better policies. Other writers have used the word "endgame" in connection with climate change before, such as in the book The Extinction Curve by John van der Velden and Rob White, published in 2021.