What Are the Effects of Climate Change?
Since the Industrial Revolution, people worldwide have relied on more coal and oil as top energy sources to power industries, businesses, residences and transportation. As fossil fuels are burned, they release carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide into the Earth’s atmosphere (“Greenhouse Gas Emissions”). Carbon dioxide and these other greenhouse gases have caused the Earth to warm more quickly, thus creating a severe chronic climate change. According to the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC), “during the past 100 years, the world’s surface air temperature increased an average of 0.6° Celsius (1.1° Fahrenheit). This may not sound like very much change, but even one degree can affect the Earth” (Gardiner). The severe change in climate has raised sea levels, caused the disappearance of several regions and has damaged human health (Gardiner).
Scientists report that globally, “sea level rose about 15-20 centimeters (roughly 1.5 to 2.0 mm/year), with the rate at the end of the century greater than over the early part of the century. Satellite measurements taken over the past decade, however, indicate that the rate of increase has jumped to about 3.1 mm/year, which is significantly higher than the average rate for the 20th century” (“Climate Change and Sea Level Rise”). Such dangerous sea levels can escalate to further problems, flooding in many coastal regions and threatening coastal communities, wetlands and coral reefs (Gardiner). Climate change is not only responsible for rising in sea levels, but also the disappearance of many Arctic regions around the globe.
Because of a shift in climate many northern polar regions worldwide are diminishing in size. Arctic seas, mountain glaciers and permafrost layers in several regions have decreased in size within the past 100 years (Gardiner). The southern Arctic region, home to 4,000,000 residents, has experienced a dangerous rise in temperature (Morris). Many countries such as Canada, Alaska and Russia are continuing to experience melting of the permafrost layer: “[p]ermafrost is any soil or rock that remains frozen (below 0°C / 32°F) throughout the year. For a soil to be considered permafrost, it must be frozen for at least two consecutive years or longer” (Klappenbach). If the permafrost layer were to melt, it would disrupt the ecosystem, causing an increase in bacterial activity in the soil and many other severe consequences. Eastern Siberia is experiencing problems due to the climate change, its permafrost “is gradually disappearing in the southern regions, leading to the loss of nearly 11% of Siberia’s nearly 11,000 lakes since 1971” (Morris). A study shows the loss of land will continue through the next decade throughout Western Siberia (Morris). Much of the world is suffering from this continuous rise in temperatures, and the health of the human race is also being put at risk.
Because of warmer global temperatures, human health is being affected. Within the past decade, there have been more deaths recorded due to the heat waves and more allergic reactions to the prolonged pollen seasons. People with asthma, heart problems, the elderly, the young and the homeless are more vulnerable to the rise in temperatures (“Climate Change”). With such high temperatures, insects like the mosquito are present for longer periods of time causing humans to more susceptible to such deadly diseases; Malaria, carried by mosquitoes, affects the red blood cells and blood supply to vital organs (Gardiner). In the next century, the IPCC has hypothesized that the global population is at a greater risk of infection from “vector-borne” diseases, such as malaria, increasing from 220 million people to 400 million people becoming infected (“Climate Change”). Dengue fever, yellow fever and encephalitis are other common diseases passed along through insects (“Climate Change”). Health of the human population is put at a greater risk for infection, disease and death from the climate change.
Despite yearly temperature increases, the planet and the organisms living here are suffering major consequences. Sea levels have elevated within the last century, impacting local communities and ecosystems. Such levels can cause further problems in the future for the entire global population. Along with the rise in sea levels, many snow-packed, northern regions are melting; continents are becoming smaller and smaller. As these regions disappear, so does plant, animal and human life. The health of several human populations has been affected by the severe climate change and continues to expand as more fossil fuels are burned into the Earth’s atmosphere.
Works Cited
A, Of. "Climate Change and Sea Level Rise." Climate Institute. 2010. Web. 21 Oct. 2010.
“Climate Change - Health and Environmental Effects.” US Environmental Protection Agency. EPA, 19 Oct. 2010. Web. 20 Oct. 2010.
Gardiner, Lisa. "Effects of Climate Change Today." Windows to the Universe. GroSolar, 22 Apr. 2010. Web. 20 Oct. 2010.
"Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Climate Change | U.S. EPA." US Environmental Protection Agency. EPA, 19 Oct. 2010. Web. 20 Oct. 2010.
Klappenbach, Laura. "Permafrost - What Is Permafrost." Animals Wildlife - Animal Facts, Animal Pictures, Habitat Facts, Evolution and Zoology. 2010. Web. 25 Oct. 2010.
Morris, Barry. "Effects on Weather from Climate Change and Global Warming." Global Warming, Climate Change and Other Environmental Issues. GNU Free Documentation. Web. 21 Oct. 2010.
No comments:
Post a Comment