The world has officially surpassed a feared warming target across an entire year for the first time on record. The threshold of a 1.5 degree Celsius warming is a crucial long-term measure because additional tipping points become more likely beyond this point.

"Often climate change will feel like its accelerating because the climate is moving past the range of our experience... so much of what we have been doing so far is incremental and what we need to do is transformational," says Simon Donner, Professor and Climate Scientist at the University of British Columbia.

2023 was scarred with a list of catastrophic events, including unprecedented heatwaves, historic wildfires and floods, but does it only get worse from here? You may be surprised to learn the answer. We will step back and discover what surpassing this warming benchmark means and what is likely to come in the near future. Plus we explore how sea sponges and a never before deployed satellite could help - that's all on this edition of the Big Blue Marble Podcast.

In today's housing market there is a new dimension to consider beyond price, commute time and schools in the neighbourhood - climate risks. As a homeowner, preparing for future costs amidst increasing storms and extreme weather events is crucial.

"Canada exceeded $3 billion in insured damages last year, and uninsured values totaled $9-12 billion," says Kathryn Bakos, Managing Director, Finance and Resilience at the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo.

On this episode of the Big Blue Marble Podcast we reveal what extreme weather event is the biggest risk to our homes right now, and we discuss how that "perceived" risk alone may not only affect a home's value but also make it harder to sell.

"On average across Canada we saw an 8.2% price reduction and the homes stayed on the market approximately 20 per cent longer," adds Bakos.

From tips on how to future proof your home to insurance limitations, this is one episode every homeowner must hear.