The Grievous Impact of Climate Change
What does it mean to say the climate is changing??
Climate change refers to the significant, long-term
changes in the global climate. The global climate is the connected system
of sun, earth and oceans, wind, rain and snow, forests, deserts and savannas,
and everything people do, too.
The world is currently experiencing changes in climates which affect millions of lives. There has been bleaching of coral reefs, the sea ice volume in the Arctic has been reaching new lows, an increase in the number of natural disasters worldwide (such as wildfires, droughts, floods) and the mass migration of species.
Below are described physical symptoms of the planet’s current state which are already noticeable: heatwaves, melting ice, bleached coral reefs, rising sea levels, extreme weather. Some of these impacts are already taking an important factor in human suffering.
Record Heat
According to NASA and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2016 was the hottest year ever recorded, as well as the third record year in a row. Eight of the 12 months, from the month of January to September, excluding June, were the warmest on record for those respective months. October, November, and December were the second warmest of those months, behind records set in 2015. And at the halfway point of 2017, 2018 is already the second hottest year on record, with expectations that if the current trend continues it will be the second hottest year overall; this despite the fact that there has been no El Niño, which was part of what pushed 2016's temperatures to record-breaking. Additionally, there was a mild La Nina at the beginning of 2017, which cools global temperatures, and yet 2018 still ranks as one of the hottest years ever so far.
Average surface temperature has increased by 1.1°C, and most of the warming has occurred in the last 35 years, with "16 of the 17 warmest years on record occurring since 2001".
Heatwaves
Higher temperatures mean that heat waves are likely to happen more often and last longer. Heat waves can be dangerous, causing illnesses such as heat cramps and heat stroke, or even death. Warmer temperatures can also lead to a chain reaction of other changes around the world. That is because increasing air temperature also affects the oceans, weather patterns, snow and ice, and plants and animals. The warmer it gets, the more severe the impacts on people and the environment will be.
Wildfires
These are a natural part of the ecology in many regions. But rising temperatures and low rainfall increase their frequency and the risk of exceptionally large fires. Wildfires emit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that will continue to warm the planet well into the future. They damage forests that would otherwise remove CO2 from the air and they inject soot and other aerosols into the atmosphere, with complex effects on warming and cooling.
Drought
Drought can affect our communities and our environment in different ways. Drought affects our lives in different ways because of the significant role of water in our daily activities. Humans, animals, and plants need water to live and survive. Lacking the necessary amount of water for such activities may affect our lifestyles negatively. Not having the right amount of water to wash clothes and dishes, water plants and trees, and satisfy our thirst, will lead us to inconvenience, discomfort, and death.
Melting ice
With a climate that continues heating up–and coastal erosion–these numbers could radically increase. This not only affects coastal communities around the world but it damages global economies as well, requiring citizen evacuations and relocation of major shipping ports and businesses.
Sea level rise
Sea levels have risen about 20 cm since 1870, and the rate of increase is accelerating, with around 8 cm of this rise occurring since 1995. The main cause of this rise is shifting from thermal expansion (warmer water expanding) to ice melt. There are countries which are expected to disappear completely if climate change is unchecked.
Drought can affect our communities and our environment in different ways. Drought affects our lives in different ways because of the significant role of water in our daily activities. Humans, animals, and plants need water to live and survive. Lacking the necessary amount of water for such activities may affect our lifestyles negatively. Not having the right amount of water to wash clothes and dishes, water plants and trees, and satisfy our thirst, will lead us to inconvenience, discomfort, and death.
Melting ice
With a climate that continues heating up–and coastal erosion–these numbers could radically increase. This not only affects coastal communities around the world but it damages global economies as well, requiring citizen evacuations and relocation of major shipping ports and businesses.
Sea level rise
Sea levels have risen about 20 cm since 1870, and the rate of increase is accelerating, with around 8 cm of this rise occurring since 1995. The main cause of this rise is shifting from thermal expansion (warmer water expanding) to ice melt. There are countries which are expected to disappear completely if climate change is unchecked.
