Effects of Global Warming
Scientists predict that earth’s average temperature will warm between 2-10 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the 21st century. While that may not sound so impressive, this small change in temperature will mean a big shift for earth’s ecological systems, and for human life as we know it.
Weather Changes
A change in global temperature will have a large and direct effect on the world’s weather patterns. Precipitation is predicted to increase, and heat waves will become more prevalent, possibly leading to extreme weather. Droughts in dry regions will lead to expanding desert, while tropical regions will be pounded by increasingly strong cyclones and hurricanes.
Glacial Melting
If the earth continues to heat up, glaciers, those polar reserves of fresh water, will begin melting at a faster rate. River and lake systems will experience an increase in freshwater flow, leading to flooding. As sea level rise, low-lying islands and coastal areas will become flooded, displacing their human and animal inhabitants.
Effects on Biological Systems
Continuing global warming could lead to widespread extinctions among all biological systems. Studies have indentified global warming “fingerprints,” or temperature-induced shifts in behavior, in hundreds of plant and animal species, indicating that the effects of rising temperature are already being felt. Coral reefs and ocean life are especially sensitive to rising temperatures, with many corals already experiencing widespread death. A 2 degree Celsius increase in global temperature is all it would take to induce a massive coral extinction.
Impact on Humans
Even besides the loss of land area due to rising oceans, humans will be greatly affected by a continually rising global temperature. Food supplies will be interrupted, due to changes in precipitation, natural disasters, and changes in weed and pest behavior. This trouble accessing food will mean malnutrition and discomfort for millions of people.
Changes in health will result, due to the changes in weather, agriculture, and the economy. Millions of people are expected to develop malnutrition, disease, and injury due to interrupted food supplies and extreme weather. Certain diseases, such as dengue fever, may increase due to climate change.
Sources:
Fingerprints of global warming on wild animals and plants. (2003) Terry L. Root, Jeff T. Price, Kimberly R. Hall, Stephen H. Schneider, Cynthia Rosenzweig & J. Alan Pounds. Nature.
Climate Change 2001. (2001) IPCC Third Assessment Report.
Global Climate Change. (2008) Stanford Solar Center.
Drought, Nutrition, and Food Security. (2007) IPCC Fourth Assessment Report.