After speaking with two meteorology experts and a chemical engineer who specializes in carbon capture technologies, it’s clear we’re not doing enough to get in front of what’s becoming a climate disaster. 

A number of credible scientific publications stated that climate change puts the well-being of people around the globe at risk. And yet, most of us are not aware of what’s potentially coming nor are we planning for it from a business and personal perspective. 

I spoke with Rear Admiral David Titley, who spent 32 years as the Navy’s meteorologist/oceanographer, when he appeared on my podcast Unmessable. Titley was tasked with assessing and planning for security risks our country faced with regards to global warming. 

One big concern he spent a lot of time analysing is rising sea levels. He expects levels to rise up to 3 to 6 feet by the year 2100, but by the time levels stabilize (several centuries from now), we could be looking at a 30 feet increase globally. 

This means ultimately Orlando becomes the southernmost point of Florida. Baton Rouge is the southernmost point of Louisiana. Everyone in Harlem, New York is elated because they now have beachfront properties. And that’s just the beginning.

In another Unmessable podcast discussion, Dr. Marshall Shepherd, a distinguished professor and Director of Atmospheric Sciences Program at the University of Georgia, and former Nasa meteorologist, said “Many people don’t understand that the increases we’re going to see in the next 0 to 50 years (sea level rise, ice caps melting, flooding, droughts, agricultural belt shifts, diseases, etc.) are going to happen at an exponential rate. They’re not going to be linear increases. The more time we wait on action, the further along the exponentially increasing curve of crisis we go.”

Scientists say there is an inflection point where the climate scales tip, which is when we reach an average climate increase of 2 degrees celsius. That’s where the rate of climate change will get away from our abilities to reverse it. Today, we are seeing a 1.5 degrees celsius average climate increase, which means there is still some time to be proactive.

So I asked myself, what can regular people (like me) do to help slow down this train wreck? What business opportunities exist around being part of the solution? Here’s a place to start.

Clean air: It’s likely to be very valuable

Dr. Jennifer Wilcox, a chemical engineering professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and an internationally recognized expert in atmospheric pollution, believes CO2 carbon capture is a solution we should employ to reverse some of the damage that’s already been done. 

“We have the capability to build synthetic forests that have the potential to remove some of the CO2 that is emitted into the atmosphere each year, ” Dr. Wilcox said. “Ideally, we avoid CO2 emissions to begin with, but we are not doing that at the scale required to meet our climate goals and so now we have to start pulling CO2 out of the air to avoid reaching a climate change tipping point.” 

It sounds simple to pull CO2 from the air, but it’s not. Far from it. It’s a complex process that requires lots of engineering and funding. There are some businesses working on clever ways to do this, but we need way more innovation happening in this space and significant capital investments. It’s a great business opportunity that will predictably be in big demand.

Get involved with Congress and local government

Titley suggests to learn about climate change, we should all get involved locally, monitor the state of affairs, and become an advocate. There are short explanations from the AAAS where you can quickly develop a basic understanding of climate change. Then, if you don’t already know, find out who your representatives are locally and make your voice heard.

But when it comes to affecting change on a larger scale, it takes advocacy to organize slow-moving government agencies. Congress and local governments can create business grants and other incentives to fuel business opportunities at all levels to work toward achievable climate goals. Staying silent while the house burns isn’t an option any longer.

Be mindful of your own daily life choices

We can all take small steps to at least slow the effects of climate change, if not reverse it, but making simple choices like using LED bulbs in the home, reducing plastic consumption (especially one-time-use plastics), traveling less (or drive less when possible), using solar powered energy, and electric cars are effective strategies. Creating competitive, environment-friendly consumer options is one area where the market can help as long as it’s provided the right incentives. 

Don’t buy real estate near the water

Although local governments are taking some measures, like New York’s effort to build flood surges (which are glorified sand bags) to avoid disasters like Hurricane Sandy, or the efforts of government officials in Miami to protect against a 3-foot water-level increase, Titley says it’s likely to be insufficient. If you are looking to set up shop for personal or business reasons, avoid high-risk areas for long-term investments.

World governments and industry responded quickly in the 1980s in an effort to undo years of ozone depletion. It worked. We can do it again.