Essay #3 done!!!

What are the effects of climate change?

Since the Industrial Revolution people worldwide have relied on more coal and oil as a top energy source to power factories, transportation and public homes. 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), the world’s surface air temperature has increased 0.6° Celsius or 1.1° Fahrenheit within the past few hundreds of years (Gardiner). The severe change in climate has raised sea levels, caused a disappearance of several regions and has damaged human health (Gardiner).

Around the world sea levels are rising dramatically due to the human-induced climate change (“Climate Change and Sea Level Rise”). In the 20^th century, sea levels rose roughly about 6 inches and further models predict that sea levels will continue to rise 23 more inches in the 21^st century (Garniner).  Over the past decade, satellite measurements indicate that the rate of increase has soared to 3.1mm/year; which is surprisingly much higher than the average sea level in the 20^th century (“Climate Change and Sea Level Rise”). Such dangerous sea levels can escalate to further problems; flooding in many coastal regions, threatening coastal communities, wetlands and coral reefs. 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. The Arctic seas, mountain glaciers and permafrost layers have decreased in size within the past 100 years (Gardiner). The southern Arctic region, home to 4,000,000 locals, 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; layer of the earth that stays frozen much of the year and provides a stable environment for many species of animals (Morris). This can disrupt the ecosystem in these areas causing an increase in bacterial activity in the soil and many other severe consequences. Another part of the northern hemisphere that is experiencing problems due to the climate change is Eastern Siberia. In Eastern Siberia, a study of changes suggests that the permafrost layer is slowly disappearing, leading to an 11% loss of the country; Siberia has lost 11,000 lakes since 1971. This study also shows the loss of land will continue through the next decade throughout Eastern and Western Siberia (Morris). Much of the world is suffering from this continuous rise in temperatures and health of the human race is also being put at risk.

The warmer temperatures are affecting human health around the globe. Within the past decade, there have been more deaths recorded due to the heat waves and more allergy reactions from the prolonging pollen seasons. People with asthma, heart problems, elderly, younger children and the homeless are more vulnerable to the rise in temperatures (“Climate Change”). Animals or insects can also be carriers for diseases; mosquitoes carry malaria. With such high temperatures, insects like the mosquito are present for longer periods of time causing humans to more susceptible to such deadly diseases (Gardiner).  Other diseases passed along through insects are dengue fever, yellow fever and encephalitis (“Climate Change”). 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”). Human health is put at a greater risk for infection, disease and death from the climate change.

Because of yearly temperature increases, the globe and the organisms living here are suffering major consequences. Sea levels have deepened 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 northern regions are melting; continents are becoming smaller and smaller. As these regions disappear, so does the plant, animal and human life. The health of several human populations has been affected by the severe climate change and continues to increase each year as temperatures rise.