1. Rising of the Sea Levels
When the surface temperature warms up, it causes
a significant melting of ice from the glaciers, sea ice as well as the polar
ice shelf. When this happens, it increases the quantity of water that flows
into oceans all around the world & leads to sea levels rising dramatically,
threatening numerous population centers which are positioned in the low-lying
coast areas. Scientists have speculated that the melting of ice from Antarctica
& Greenland could raise sea levels by over 20 feet till we reach 2100!
2. Heat Waves
Severe heat waves have become more common and the
reason is that the greenhouse gases have been trapped inside the atmosphere.
Studies state that these heat waves will keep on increasing over the years
& become 100 times worse. This will result in a swell in illnesses that are
heat-related and also trigger countless wildfires.
3. Killer Storms
When the temperature of the oceans becomes
warmer, it fuels storms that are more intense. Global warming shall cause
storms to become extremely severe and the numbers will increase as well. The
warm ocean water will fuel storm intensity & result in greater number of
extremely devastating hurricanes. Effects such as these are being felt already
today – we have seen that in the last 30 years, the severity & number of
cyclones, hurricanes and storms have increased and they have nearly doubled.
All this leads to floods, damage of property as well as loss of life.
4. Drought
Droughts are on the opposite pole of this
spectrum & we can see that they are already creating havoc on various parts
of our planet. The climate is warming up & in turn dwindling the supply of
water, leading to poor agricultural conditions. Because of this, crops are failing
increasingly. There is a major shortage of water which is causing disruptions
in the global production of food & making starvation increasingly
widespread.
5. Species becoming Extinct
Desertification,
warming up of the ocean temperatures, as well as deforestation
is all contributing to disastrous & irreversible changes that are occurring
in the habitat & threatening to endanger
several species that might soon become extinct. Polar bear happens to be
the prime example and we see that their numbers are continuously falling as
they struggle to acclimatize to loss in ice in regions in arctic. One thing
that is crucial for human success is biodiversity & the loss of precious
flora & fauna because of mass extinction will threaten our entire planet.
6. Disease
When there is a change in the habitat, it
automatically translates to a rise in diseases all across the globe. Warmer
temperatures, floods & droughts all combine & create a condition where
rats, mosquitoes, as well as other pests that are disease-carrying not only
thrive, but also adapt. Diseases such as cholera, West Nile virus, Lyme
disease, dengue fever, etc. are ever increasing & are no longer limited to
the tropical climates. It is seen that asthma is on a rise because of the
increasing smog.
7. Disappearing Glaciers
All across the globe we are seeing that glaciers
are shrinking & that too at a very alarming rate. The Glacier National Park
boasted a whooping 150 glaciers once upon a time, but now those numbers have
dwindled to a mere 35 because of an alarming rise in the temperature.
Elsewhere, the areas that were once covered in permafrost have now become home
to numerous colorful plant life that is non-native.
8. Wars
Worldwide conflicts & hostilities are on a
rise as the numerous nations are competing for the resources that are
dwindling. Not many of us are aware that the genocide that happened in Darfur
region in Sudan was the consequence of ecological crisis that had roots in
reduction of the natural resources that were brought about due to climatic
changes. The wars in Somalia started under very similar circumstances. Today,
experts dread that such increase in wars for water & food will result in
hostility & aggression among some countries.
9. Economic Instability
A nation’s economy is directly correlated to the
consequences of climatic changes. Natural disasters like floods as well as
hurricanes are costly, there are cleanup costs, and there is extensive damage
to property, people lose their incomes and yet they try to reconstruct their
lives. Global crisis is leading to a rise in the costs of energy &
food; there are more costly insurance premiums, there’s loss of tourism dollars
& industrial profits.
10. Ecosystem Failure
The increase in the greenhouse gases is not only
causing drastic changes in the higher atmosphere but it is causing havoc across
our entire planet, thereby affecting water supply, clean air for agriculture output
as well as energy resources. Plants & animals either die or they move to
other habitats (non-native) when the ecosystems on which they depend to survive
(like coral reefs) are threatened by the warming temperature of the sea &
more acidic water. As the change in climate affects the way of life, even
humans shall migrate – resulting in increased competition and war over the
small quantity of resources.
Preventive Measures:
There are numerous ways in which we can
prevent long-term effects of global warming. A reduction in energy consumption
is the simplest way to reduce these effects. Other precautionary measures
include:
We should install light bulbs that are
energy-efficient;
Always turn down the A/C & heaters;
Start using bicycles or start walking to work instead of buying more cars;
Unplug your phones & computer chargers whenever you are not using them.
Always turn down the A/C & heaters;
Start using bicycles or start walking to work instead of buying more cars;
Unplug your phones & computer chargers whenever you are not using them.
cr: Jyotsna
