Preview

Global warming impacts

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
859 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Global warming impacts
Is the Maldives disappearing from the earth? It is definitely not a sensation but such disappearances are happening to many island nations around the world. The main cause of these disappearances is “global warming” which is defined as “an increase in the earth's average atmospheric temperature that causes corresponding changes in climate”1. Controversial debates on causes of global warming are on-going. According to the research conducted by Derek Markham, a famous analyst on climate change, the main causes of global warming may be carbon dioxide emissions from burning plants and gasoline, deforestation and increased use of chemical fertilizers2. However, even if some academics disagree about the opinions, effects of global warming are huge, world-wide, and measurable. In fact, global warming has a series of serious impacts on human, animals and environment. The ice melting is raising the sea level, natural disasters threaten thousands of lives and human health is also affected by global warming directly.

The first impact of global warming is on the polar ice cap. With the increasing temperature, massive ice sheets from glaciers and ice caps melt at a high pace, causing some dangerous consequences on the sea level, marine plants and animals. In fact, global sea levels have increased significantly due to the melting of two massive ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland. According to a recent study conducted by a group of researchers led by Alex Gardener, Professor of Geography at Clark University, the world's glaciers lost 260 gigatons of water each year between 2003 and 2009, making these rivers of ice responsible for almost a third of sea level rise during that time3. In addition, corals at the bottom of the ocean cannot get enough sunlight for their photosynthesis due to the rising of sea level. Hence, their quality deteriorates and fish that depend on these corals for food will not be able to survive. Finally, ice melting also threatens the life of

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    However you also have to consider the socioeconomic impacts of rising sea levels caused by global warming. Increased erosion for example, leads to the loss of land and settlements. This is especially the case in…

    • 523 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    The most well-known effect of global warming is that the rise in temperature could cause ice caps, glaciers and sea ice to melt. Since the 1950’s arctic sea ice has reduced by 10-15%, and the Jakobshavn glacier in Greenland retreated by 10km between 1997 and 2007, both of which are evidence that the recent increases in temperature are causing ice to melt. This melting of ice, along with thermal expansion of water, caused by increased temperatures will lead to rise in sea levels; average global sea levels could rise almost 1m between 1990 and 2100. A rise in sea levels could have devastating social impacts on low lying coastal areas; a 1m rise in sea levels could flood over…

    • 1687 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Global warming refers to the observed increase in the average temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere and oceans in recent decades, which is directly related to an increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere leading to an increase in the amount of infrared or thermal radiation near the surface. This essay will evaluate the causes and their resulting effects of the phenomenon known as ‘Global Warming’.…

    • 1307 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Unless you live under a rock, you will have noticed what’s happening around the human race due to global warming and climate modification. It is not only affecting us humans, it is also affecting our vegetation, our animals, and our oceans. I recently watched a video by National Geographic about the precious coral reefs in the Florida Keys and it talked about how the coral reefs cannot keep up with the rising sea level, so eventually they will all just die (“Fighting to Save Coral in the Florida Keys”). Additionally this will lead to habitat loss and then species dying off. If this scenario belonged to one area it would be tragic but climate change is disrupting habitats and killing off dependent mintage humanity worldwide.…

    • 1989 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The sea level has been rising globally for the past 10,000 years before anthropologic influence, but due to large amounts of CO2 release the sea level is now rising rapidly. The warming of global temperatures over the past century that continues to grow with time causes this rise in sea level. Because of this growing global temperature, the ice caps are melting rapidly and will continue to melt at a faster rate. “…Even if we could stabilize concentrations of GHGs, we are already committed to significant warming and sea level rise no matter what scenario we follow (Gerald A. Meehl et al).” At this point, it would be impossible to avoid increased sea levels due to this melting. This melting means that many areas of low elevation will experience major flooding. Sea levels could rise by several meters in the next 100 years, leading to major land loss. Flooding can also lead to declines or shifts to local fisheries, leading to possible protein shortages in poorer populations, leading to famine. This could put many lives in jeopardy and could alter many coastal ecosystems, leading to loss of coastal infrastructure, coastal erosion, loss of human life, and the extinction of several species unable to adapt or move to another adequate…

    • 2140 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Two major impacts of global climate change that will impact people outside of the United States are first, that with the increase in temperatures the ice caps are melting and increasing the amount of water in our seas. This has risen the coastal sea levels increase flooding for many regions. Secondly, the climate change has effected the weather system. Storms are becoming more powerful and more destructive, on land and out at the sea as they approach the coasts. With the increase in power and destruction comes at a great concern to our population.…

    • 306 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC) has observed an increase of 0.19 meters of global mean sea-level rise from 1901 to 2010, with “about 70% of the coastlines worldwide projected to experience a sea level change within ±20% of the global mean” (IPCC 2014). Dramatic increases in sea-level are produced by increasing temperatures which cause glaciers to melt and ocean thermal expansion, all of which is frequently attributed to past and current anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions.…

    • 1643 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Ice caps with high albedo are melting faster than before while the ocean (93% of global warming) is absorbing more heat than before. According to Surface Temperature Analysis from NASA, global temperature has warmed at the highest rate at 1.12 degrees Fahrenheit anomaly in 2010 and is expected to get worse. The 1990s was the hottest decade on record but the 2000s were even hotter according to the NRC. The UK’s Met Office (National Weather Service) predicted that if we allowed the earth’s temperature to increase to 4 degrees Celsius then the impact will be catastrophic. A 2-foot rise in the global sea level is expected by the year 2100 while oceans become more acidic as carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere dissolve in the ocean. This acidification will harm the ecosystem (about 60% of ocean life depends on coral reefs) that is sensitive to the pH of the ocean water. The average land temperature will be 5.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels, agricultural yields are expected to decrease for all major cereal crops in all major regions of production, and half of all Himalayan glaciers will be significantly reduced by 2050, leading to 23% of the Chinese population deprived of the vital dry season glacial melt water source.…

    • 1745 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Global Warming Artifact

    • 1056 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Thousands of coastal cities and even whole islands are at risk of being claimed by the ocean due to sea levels worldwide rising at a rate of 0.14 inches per year since the early 1990s (Sea). This increase in sea levels is generated by global warming. Global warming, also known as climate change, is a gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth’s atmosphere and oceans, that could have a permanent and devastating effect on the world (Global). It has existed ever since the beginning of the Industrial revolution back in the 1880s due to fossil-fueled mechanisms (Ocean). Many indicators of climate change include: a rise in sea levels, polar ice caps and glaciers melting, ocean acidification and an…

    • 1056 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The effects of what global warming is doing to our client has been a question debated for many years. There has been considerable evidence that global warming has been linked to the increase of extreme weather events that could cause widespread devastation across the world. The damages that could be caused by these events could cost millions to even billions of dollars and could be even worse for third world countries that do not have the infrastructure to withstand these powerful events. The extreme weather events that can be caused by global warming can be devastating to our society and others around the world. The controversy surrounding this issue is that global warming can not be the only direct cause to increase these extreme weather…

    • 1857 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Global warming is a threat to humanity. As an international student from Singapore, I am alarmed about the catastrophic consequences of climate change. It is already happening in our lives. Rising sea levels caused by the melting glaciers poses a direct threat to my home. Island nations and coastal cities will suffer the inevitable if we do not act now. In six degrees, Mark Lynas warned the impending arctic tipping point, once passed, the melting of the glaciers cannot be reversed, leading to a loss of habitable environment. However, I believe that the situation is worse than what Lynas anticipated.…

    • 618 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Is climate change merely a hoax? Absolutely not, climate change is in fact current and very real. Many choose to ignore the effects of global warming yet the evidence is seen around the world every day. There are three main effects of climate change in the world: stronger hurricanes, more droughts/heatwaves, and rising temperatures.…

    • 683 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Effects Of Global Warming

    • 551 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Another prominent effect of global warming is the rising sea level. Sea level rise became faster over the last century that is caused by melting polar ice in the Arctic and Antarctic region, coupled with melting ice sheets and glaciers across Greenland, North America, South America, Europe and Asia. Since year 1870, the global sea level has risen about 8 inches. If the sea level continues to rise, many coastal areas and low laying ground will be flooded and those places can’t be populated by humans.…

    • 551 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Current data for climate change suggest that global warming is taking place due to the enhanced greenhouse effect. If global temperatures continue to rise it will present a number of challenges in the future. Different countries will experience global warming differently depending on their location and level of development, but even within a country, there will be ‘winners and losers’. For example, in the UK Global Warming is good news for coastal resorts, especially in northern England (e.g. Blackpool and Southport) where cooler weather deters visitors out of season. Tourism contributes largely to the UKs economy so this would be beneficial. However the more northern areas of the UK, such as Scotland, will not prosper. Scottish Ski Resorts rely on the colder weather to attract its visitors, and the rise in temperature means snow is becoming less frequent. In the future, Scotland may not be able to open ski resorts which will not only impact on the economy, but on people’s livelihoods. There are 5 Ski resorts in Scotland that generate over £2.5 million per season, with £16.4 million of that being spent on accommodation, shops and fuel. Resorts closing would impact on not only their employees but also on the surrounding areas. While global warming in Scotland is bad for the economy, it might be beneficial to the environment as emissions and pollution would theoretically decrease.…

    • 833 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In January 200l the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a group of scientific experts assembled by the United Nations, released a frightening report on the potential consequences of the climate phenomenon known as global warming. The panel found that the 1990s had been the warmest decade on record and predicted that temperatures will rise anywhere from 2.5 to 10.4 degrees around the world over the next century, causing changes to global weather patterns. Indeed, unusual and frequently destructive weather had been occurring around the globe: twenty-seven inches of rain in one day in Hilo, Hawaii; an unheard-of thunderstorm in Barrow, Alaska; a huge ice storm in Atlanta, Georgia; massive floods in Europe; and an unprecedented high temperature of eighty-two degrees Fahrenheit in Iqaluit, a town in the Canadian Arctic. If these new weather patterns continue, the panel warned, the whole world could be facing a devastating environmental catastrophe resulting in massive floods, rising seas that wipe out coastal communities, rampant epidemics, millions of people left homeless, plant and animal extinctions on an unprecedented scale, and widespread starvation.…

    • 1526 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays