The Effects of Global Warming

We have looked at the causes of global warming, now let's have a look at the effects of global warming on our planet.

One of the effects of global warming is the destruction of many important ecosystems. Changing and erratic climate conditions will put our ecosystems to the test, the increase in carbon dioxide will increase the problem.

The evidence is clear that global warming and climate change affects physical and biological systems. There will be effects to land, water, and life. Already today, scientists are seeing the effects of global warming on coral reefs, many have been bleached and have died. This is due to warmer ocean waters, and to the fact that some species of plants and animals are simply migrating to better suited geographical regions where water temperatures are more suitable.

Melting ice sheets are also making some animals migrate to better regions. This effects the ecosystems in which these plants and animals live.

Several climate models have been made and they predict more floods (big floods), drought, wildfires, ocean acidification, and the eventual collapse of many ecosystems throughout the world both on land and at sea.

There have been forecasts of things like famine, war, and social unrest, in our days ahead. These are the types of effects global warming could have on our planet.

Another important effect that global warming will bring is the loss and endangerment of many species. Did you know that 30 percent of all plant and animal species alive in the world today are at risk of extinction by the year 2050 if average temperatures rise more than 2 to 11.5 degrees Fahrenheit.

These mass extinctions will be due to a loss of habitat through desertification, deforestation, and ocean warming. Many plants and animals will also be affected by the inability to adapt to our climate warming.

Some species will survive though because they will migrate to other parts of the world where they can survive. A good example of that happening is the red fox that has already done it. The red fox used to live mainly in North America, but has migrated now to the Arctic.

People like you and me are also in danger, people living in coastal areas will be badly hit if sea levels rise. Desertification will also be a problem for humans, food may become scarce.

One very disappointing effect of global warming is war and conflicts.

With a decline in the amounts of quality food, water, and land, it could bring
an increase in global security threats, and war.

Take the country Sudan for example, in that region global warming has played an important role. There is conflict in Sudan, global warming is not the only cause, but it has played its part. The roots of the problem in Sudan can be traced back to climate change, and the scarcity of natural resources.

The conflict in Sudan started during a time of intense drought.

Scientists and military analysts are predicting that climate change and the devastation it causes could bring war and conflict. When sufficient amounts of water and food are running short that is when war can come about. What this brings to light is the fact that ecological crisis and violence are both linked.

Economic calamities are another effect that global warming could bring.

Take hurricane Katrina for example, one thing that climate change does is that it brings us more extreme storms like Katrina. Hurricane Katrina resulted in millions and millions of dollars in damage. When severe storms and floods occur, crops, homes, businesses, and more all fail, and that costs a lot of money, and it hurts the economy. When severe floods occur you also need to make sure that the threat of disease is controlled.

Hurrican Katrina resulted in 135$ billion in property damage. That really hurt the economy that year.

When severe weather does damage it can also raise the price of insurance, and this hurts the everyday person.

Cleaning up a disaster area also costs a lot of money. If too many extreme storms hit in a certain time frame the impact on the economy can be disastrous.

Drought is an effect of global warming that we are already seeing right now.

Many countries are finding that they are currently receiving more storms and rising waters, while other countries are suffering from drought. As the climate of the Earth warms, experts from Scientific American predict that drought conditions could increase by as much as 66 percent. Drought will mean a shrinking water supply and a decrease in crops.

Drought can mean a danger for global food production and supply. This also mean that several countries experiencing drought could have a major famine on their hands.

Currently, India, Pakistan, and some parts of Africa are already experiencing droughts. It is sad to say but experts are predicting that it will get much worse.

One important effect global warming is having on our planet, is that it is producing more intense storms and floods. When you look at the scientific data concerning storms and floods in the last 30 years, you will see that category 4 and 5 hurricanes have nearly doubled in occurence.

What many people don't know or realize is that warm waters give hurricanes their strenght and power. Many scientists today are associating the increase in ocean and atmospheric temperatures to the rate of violent storms.

Between the years 1905 and 2005 the frequency of hurricanes has been on the rise. From 1905 to 1930 there were an average of 3.5 hurricanes per year, 5.1 between 1931 and 1994, and 8.4 between 1995 and 2005. In 2005 there was a record number of tropical storms that came about, and in 2007 the worst flooding in 60 years hit Britain. More recently, Australia has seen the worst flooding they have had in a long time.

Heat waves are also an effect of global warming.

It is no secret that temperatures are breaking records in the US and Canada and abroad. More extremely hot summer days are in store for North America and elsewhere if global warming continues unabated.

Here are some heat waves facts for you: air pollution in urban areas could get worse with the increased heat. This could result in more people having heart attacts, strokes, and asthma attacks. Children, the elderly, poor, and people of color are more vulnerable to the effects of a heat wave.

Scientists have confirmed that the frequency and duration of heat waves has definitely increased by a lot over the last 50 years.

One obvious effect of global warming is the shrinking of glaciers, this is happening wherever there are glaciers worldwide.

Mountain glaciers have been in retreat for a long time now as global warming continues to effect us. What many people don't realize though is that it is happening more rapidly now then previously believed.

Glaciers don't only recede they also shrink vertically. The lakes this melting produces can also lead to more melting. These lakes are like a cancer that is consuming our world's glaciers.

Here is a fact that may surprise you: Even if all the world's mountain glaciers were to melt, the effect on sea levels would be small. However, the disappearance of mountain glaciers would have other impacts on nature aside from raising sea levels.

Global warming will also bring a rising of sea levels around the world.

This could spell disaster for many coastal areas world wide, the rise of sea levels will mean more then just flooding though. Scientists project that as the ice shelves on Greenland and Antarctica melt, sea levels could be more than 20 feet higher in 2100 than they are today.

As glaciers and polar ice sheets melt, the sea levels will rise more and more, and the sea temperatures will also warm. This means more hurricanes, and more flooding due to the rise of the sea level.

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