Climate Change Prepping | Preparing for Gradual Change
An environmental scientist with a PhD on our TruePrepper Team first wrote on preparing for climate change in 2017. Updates have been made for current events, statistics, and facts, such as the hottest year or record now being 2024 instead of 2016.
Climate change is a general term that is often associated with apocalyptic events that might happen in the distant future. The truth is that climate change is already having wide-ranging effects, and the effects of climate change will get worse in the not-so-distant future. In most cases, climate change will just increase the intensity of events that practical preppers already prepare for, like floods, wildfires, and storms. Prepping for climate change is a natural extension of prepping for localized disasters, just on a broader scale. Here are some of the effects of climate change in the United States and how to prepare for them.
Scientists have been able to create a range of possible future temperatures, and for the year 2050, it ranges from 2.5 – 4.5 degrees Fahrenheit above normal temperatures. If we keep up our current rate of carbon dioxide emissions, it’ll be closer to the higher end. We’re already seeing record-high temperatures – 2024 was the hottest year since people started keeping track of global temperatures in the 1880s.
Top 3 Effects of Climate Change
Climate change has been and will continue to affect the US in three major ways. Slightly elevating oceans, changing rain patterns, and an increase in natural disasters are already underway and will continue to evolve.
Rising Seas
Increasing temperatures are causing polar ice to melt and the ocean to expand as it sucks up heat. Experts predict that by 2050, global sea levels will have risen between about half a foot to a foot above sea level from the year 2000. For coastal areas, this means a lot more frequent and intense flooding during storms.
How to prepare: Analyze a flood map for your local area, identify your risk of coastal flooding, and create an evacuation plan in case it floods. Check here to see flood maps for your local area:
You can also mitigate flooding on your property with some planning and effort: Best Flood Barriers for Disasters and Emergencies.
Changing Water Supply
Future amounts of rainfall for Spring, Fall, and Winter will generally increase in the northern US and decrease in the southern US. Most of the US will have less rainfall during the summer, and overall, rain will get more intense. Combined with higher temperatures in the future, soils will dry quicker between rains, reducing the amount of water we can collect and use. Also, as carbon dioxide collects in the atmosphere, plants will be able to use that carbon dioxide to grow quicker and use more water from the soil.
How to prepare: Rainwater harvesting is good for the environment AND a great water supply for emergencies. You can find rain barrels that range from 50 gallons to 5000 gallons online. We’ve reviewed them and found the best rain barrels for preppers.
More Extreme Weather
More extreme weather will mean larger wildfires, more intense floods, more intense hurricanes, and stronger regular storms. These are already things that a practical prepper might be prepared for, but climate change will increase the risk of all of these events.
How to prepare: Research what type of extreme weather is most likely in your area. Make your home more resilient by buying a generator or installing a solar panel system. Clear gutters to prevent water damage during downpours and clear flammable debris away from your house to prevent fueling a wildfire. Inventory and prepare your various survival kits to cover increasing disaster risks.
Climate Central can help you find out the climate change-specific risks in your state, or you can head to our ever-evolving Threat List, where we’ve compiled a generalized risk assessment.
Climate Change Survival Kit
Developing a kit specifically to address climate change is possible, but it isn’t practical because it overlaps with a general preparedness kit and disaster-focused kits based on where you live.
Climate change is best tackled with the general Home Survival Kit and a plan to start prepping on a broad scale.
Besides the top 3 effects listed above, we’ll see domino effects related to those causing increases in:
- Wildfires
- Hurricanes
- Tornadoes
- Flooding
- Power Outages
- Supply Chain Disruptions (food, gas, etc)
How much these affect you personally varies depending on your situation and often where you live. We have a wide range of survival kit checklists targeting those specific emergencies, allowing you to branch your general kit further to have the resources you’ll need.
The Final Word
The effects of climate change will be profound, but many of the possible impacts are things that practical preppers are already preparing for. Climate change has become an entry point for new preppers, with many concerned with the lasting changes to our environment and their immediate impacts.
Here are some other guides and articles our subscribers have found useful:
- How to Get a Free Survival Map of Your Local Area
- Best Gutter Downspout Diverter for Filling Rain Barrels
- Home Survival Kit List | 53 Essentials
Stay informed and always be prepared.
See more of our expert-written guides, resources, and reviews in your search results – add TruePrepper as a preferred source.
Prepping Your Way
No judgement and no imperatives. Prepare the way you want to with the trusted source millions of modern preppers have relied on.Our newsletter fires out every Monday where you can expect:
- Practical prepping guides and tips
- Thorough survival gear reviews
- Noticeably absent spam and popups
- < 0.4% of people unsubscribe
