The everyday ways climate change is already making our lives worse

Extreme weather events are the most dramatic consequence of climate change, but there are many smaller ways it disturbs our daily life

When you think of threats from climate change, you probably envision flooding and wind from supercharged hurricanes, or unprecedented heatwaves. A survey of people in the US from late 2024 found that the majority of people see extreme weather as the greatest climate-related danger. But there are a slew of more persistent ways climate change is disrupting our day-to-day experiences.

“These are the kinds of events that affect people’s lives but don’t necessarily make the news,” says Jennifer Carman at Yale University.

While these more mundane impacts of climate change – such as worse allergies or longer commute times – might seem to pale in comparison to climate disasters, they can add up to represent a big shift, says Carman. Knowing about them can also help people prepare for how climate change will affect their lives. After all, about half of Americans now report they have personally experienced climate change, twice as many as a decade ago.

“Extreme events won’t affect everyone,” says Carman. “But people are experiencing everyday effects every day.”

Cover photo:  Climate change is already making our lives worse