Climate change is affecting how we live in ways that were almost unimaginable just a few decades ago. Some of these changes are harder to see on an individual level, but the effects are apparent when you combine them. Today, we’re seeing the effects of it all around us.
It isn’t just about warming temperatures. Changes in rainfall patterns can also greatly impact our water supply, and as the climate continues to change, we’re likely to see more of this sort of thing.
A 2013 report from the US National Research Council found that unless we take steps now to plan for the increased likelihood of extreme rainfall, flooding, and drought, which has been linked to global warming, we’re likely to face a real water supply crisis within the next five years.
Here is a list of global warming facts and what it means for the future:
1. Global warming is not uniform across the globe
One of the biggest issues regarding global warming is that there are big regional differences in how much warming the planet is experiencing. This kind of global warming has a lot of effects that are harder to predict. You may have heard people talk about the “Asian heat wave,” but it turns out that this wasn’t particularly unusual. Weather patterns around the world as a whole have tended to change over time because of global climate change, but this isn’t always true in every area.
Some regions are reporting higher temperatures while other regions are experiencing lower increases. A study conducted in the UK found that while average global temperatures have increased in the last 60 years, they’ve decreased in certain parts of England. Even within regions, there are differences, and this has caused a lot of confusion. Some areas have been experiencing more cold days where winter temperatures come close to freezing, while others have seen an increase in extreme heat.
2. It’s not just the weather that is changing because of climate change
You’ve probably seen news stories about crops failing or parched farmland. Corn is one of the most common examples of crop failure, which grows best in cooler regions. In the last few decades, farmers in North America have had to move further north to grow corn just because the climate has changed so much.
The impact on animals is also quite remarkable. Scientists have been particularly concerned about the way that climate change is impacting polar bears and other animals that live in extreme conditions. For example, researchers in the Netherlands have been studying how rising temperatures affect the migration patterns of birds who breed in the Arctic.
3. This increase is mostly because of increased human activity.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a United Nations body, has concluded that humans are the primary cause of global warming. This is because the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has increased more because of human activities than naturally occurring processes.
The IPCC predicts that if current trends continue, we will see an increase of one to three degrees Celsius across the planet by around 2040. This would lead to changes in temperature and precipitation patterns which could greatly impact our lives and what we do.
4. More people are going to be affected by a warming climate than you think
There is a lot of interest in how climate change affects the environment and wildlife, but one of the most significant ways that climate change will impact human life is through how it affects food production. If we don’t take care of our crops, they won’t grow as well. This affects human life because many of us rely on agriculture for our food sources.
In some areas, climate change has already had a big impact on the economy. For example, in the midwestern US, farmers have suffered from a lack of rainfall over the last few years. Extreme weather has caused floods that have covered crops and even destroyed some of them entirely. At the same time, farmers have struggled to pay for basics like seeds and fertilizers because of lower crop yields.
5. The impact of climate change on food production could lead to global conflict
In the last few years, you may have seen news reports about drought in the Horn of Africa or a shortage of rain in parts of India. In some areas, extreme weather has been a major driving factor in civil war. For example, a severe drought in Syria caused farmers to lose their livelihoods, leading to widespread unemployment and unrest. This eventually led to a civil war that escalated into a conflict that is still ongoing today.
6. Human activities release around 35 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide per year
In the last 200 years, human activities have released a lot of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Scientists are sure that most of this was caused by humans burning fossil fuels like oil and gas. When these substances burn, they release CO2 into the air and contribute to global warming.
The net effect of all this extra CO2 in the atmosphere has led to higher temperatures on Earth over time. It’s been a big concern because we don’t know the long-term effects of increasing temperatures.
7. Climate change will bring more diseases
Warmer temperatures can make us sicker, and global warming has already been linked to several health problems. In the UK, for example, a study found that summer heat waves have dramatically increased cases of meningitis.
Another study showed that climate change was likely to create a greater risk of malaria in Africa. However, it’s important to remember that these are just two examples.
Air pollution is also linked to several health problems, including heart attacks and strokes. Climate change is also associated with increased mental health issues, including doctor visits, depression, and anxiety.
8. Climate change could cause millions to be displaced
The World Bank has predicted that by 2050, 30 million people will be displaced because of climate change.
This will be caused by extreme weather events and the gradual impact of rising temperatures.
This could also lead to conflicts between migrants and the indigenous populations in areas where they are forced to move.
9. Our forests are at risk
Forests have been one of the main ways humans have been able to mitigate the impact of climate change. However, because of deforestation, we have lost valuable land that keeps our climate cool and damp. One of the best examples of this is the Amazon Rainforest. Most of the rainforest was cleared in recent years, causing a dramatic increase in temperature and causing widespread disease because there was less moisture to neutralize diseases like malaria.
In Australia, extreme weather patterns have caused widespread damage to forests. The wildfires and the increase in temperatures have led to an increase in tree death. Scientists have been concerned that this could lead to a large die-off, as we have seen in the past.
10. There are things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint
You can make several changes to your way of life that will help conserve resources and reduce emissions. For example, you can have an electric car rather than an oil-fueled one. You can also switch to a more efficient light bulb. In the UK, there has been a massive switch towards using more energy-efficient light bulbs that use less electricity. According to the British government, this has led to a reduction in carbon emissions.
11. The temperature of the Earth has gone up by 1.2 degrees Celsius over the last century
The temperature of the Earth has been fluctuating from Ice Age to Hot Age for millions of years. But in the last 150 years, we’ve watched it change at an alarming rate. The temperature of the Earth is now about 1.2 degrees Celsius, hotter than it was in 1800. According to NASA, temperatures have risen faster than in over 100,000 years in less than a century.
12. Each year, we lose 1.3 trillion tons of ice.
Antarctica is one of the most isolated places on Earth and one of the coldest. Yet, it’s home to 90% of the world’s ice, and if you remove that ice, sea levels will go up by 30 meters (100 ft) or more. If you melted all that ice at once, sea levels would rise more than 160 feet.
13. The oceans are also getting warmer
In the last 40 years, sea levels have risen more than 1 inch (2.5 cm) per decade, and warming in the oceans has been accelerating too. The highest temperatures recorded in the Gulf of Alaska and the Arctic Ocean were during the last few years. Japan’s warmest July on record was in 2011. At the same time, Antarctic ice shelves have been melting at an alarming rate.
14. By the end of the century, many regions might become too hot to live in.
By the end of this century, climate change could make Earth uninhabitable. Some scientists are even worried that we may see this sort of thing happen as early as 2050 or 2060 if we don’t change our ways. We may see extreme droughts and heat waves, making it impossible to grow food, and rising sea levels, which will contaminate drinking water and affect millions of people living along coastlines.
It’s important to remember that climate change doesn’t have to be an apocalyptic event for us. Some experts are worried about the long-term effects of global warming, but we don’t have to wait for this sort of thing to happen for a major impact on our lives. A larger number of people will be affected by climate change than you might think, and the impacts will affect people worldwide.