The Caribbean region is made up of a large variety of small islands, which means that global warming, or climate change, has a big effect on the Caribbean. Their biggest problem that they face with climate change is rising sea level and melting glaciers. The sea level rises and the glaciers melt because of the carbon dioxide in the air. The sea level rises to about 10-20 cm in a century. This is a major problem for the Caribbean because it leads to flooding. A huge variety of people are at risk because flooding is a normal occurrence and the islands lie so low that the sea level takes over and floods houses or important buildings; the region is constantly being damaged. The Caribbean government has contributed to the cause of climate change in order to help the region with this problem. The people have conducted a cost-benefit analysis to help the government build something that best adapts to threats of tourism, agriculture, energy, and health. The government has also established a plan to help rural development in the Caribbean and to help fisheries, forestry, and agriculture. They are building walls and dams by the sea to prevent sea level to rise too high. The last thing they are doing is …show more content…
They could eventually come out of debt and use their money on other things such as travelling, buying new furniture, etc. They also wouldn’t have to worry about their friends and family every time it storms if everyone’s house is flood proofed. The only negative thing about flood proofing is the time that it takes to do it. There are ways to flood proof homes that don’t take so long but if the people were to raise their home or even build a new home that was raised, it would take quite a bit of time. This also means that during the process, a storm could come and it ruins all of the progress that they have made on flood proofing their
Climate Change and Global Warming cause sea levels to rise. This increase in sea levels not only causes inundation of low lying and coastal areas but also irrevocable damage to coastal environments. Globally the ocean is predicted to rise nearly 140 cm on a global scale by the year 2100 (Cooper et al. 2013); therefore this has massive implications for countries all around the world with cities (settlements etc.) based near bodies of water. When compared to the last 80 years this is an acceleration of nearly twice the rate that ...
The Mayans were a powerful civilization in the past, but collapsed and abandoned it’s own cities. Theories were made to try to figure out what happened to the Mayans and one theory might just predict what will happen to our societies if the earth’s temperature continues to increase. The drought theory of the Mayan collapse theorizes that a severe drought hit the Yucatan peninsula. Thin tropical soils lacked fertility to grow crops which caused famine, disease, and war in the basic drought cycle of the Mayans. This theory can be explained by both environmental and cultural factors of the Mayan society. As scientists explore global climate change that is happening now more evidence is explored in climatic, historical, hydrologic, tree ring, volcanic, and geologic factors. Lack of food and water could have caused extreme furstation in their society which would causes revolts and leave them vuknerable to forgein invasions. Throughout history droughts have caused seceral powerful civilavations to fall and crumble. Cimate changes are causing droughts around the world and like the drought theory of the Mayan, everything is happening quickly. Humans need to learn to how to live in a warmer world that will be bring severe droughts and change the entire earth. Solutions to global climate change continue to be experimented with and most of them have to do with carbon
The clock is ticking! Global Co2 emissions have increased exponentially since the industrialization of today’s developed world. Emissions have now passed the absorptive capacity of the earth and are accumulating in the earth’s atmosphere, warming the surface of the earth and inducing localized climatic changes. Climate change is often a localized issue. Many regions of the world will continue to become hotter, while others may experience highly variable weather patterns. Climate change poses a serious threat to ecosystems, economic sectors, and human welfare. Although almost entirely caused by the developed world, climate change will disproportionally affect the world’s poor.
Global warming is a problem that is often overlooked by many and is hindered among other problems that require immediate actions. Over the last 136 years the temperature in earth has increased 1.7°¬¬¬F. Although an increase of 1.7°¬¬¬F over 136 years may not seem like a lot but humans are destroying the earth at a faster rate than ever before. Human omissions are roughly equal to 4 Hiroshima atomic bombs exploding across the planet every second leaving future generations of human in jeopardy. With warmer climate comes with catastrophic outcomes like drought, which can destabilize the food sources on earth leaving millions of people hungry. Widespread extinction of most species on earth and the melting of polar ice caps can raise the sea level leaving most of the world’s coastal cities under water. This cannot happen overnight but if humans keep omitting at the current rate the outcome of climate change will become prominent
The causes of climate change are also known to them that though it is not only the human action playing role but it is the main cause of climate change. The effects of climate change does include harm and loss of environment and organisms but it also has impact on the human health. Semenza (2014) displays an assessment report which states that throughout the 21st century, the rapidly occurring climate change will lead to increase in number of humans with ill health in many regions mainly in those of developing countries where citizens face low income. Semenza (2014) also mentions how there are physiological limits to intense heat exposure and the global climate change will turn some parts of the world which are currently highly populated into uninhabitable even if the global temperature rises by 7 degrees Celsius. Johnson (2014) states how El-Niño-related hydroclimate variability will lead to being intensified under global warming mainly in areas as southern Asia which are already stressed by different droughts, floods, and crop yields. Dettinger, Udall, and Georgakakos (2015) mentions how climate change puts risk and threat on water resources in the western United States to an extent that no other part of the country matches it. Dettinger, Udall, and Georgakakos (2015) also states how recent research and studies strictly point a limited number
Based on the impacts on a coastal location near point Barrow, Alaska which impacts to the ecological, heath, fresh water and societal life. Increasing temperatures in the next 25 years sea thawing permafrost coastal erosion flooding other climate change. Scientist predict that over the next century the temperature increase will be twice as much over the long term norm as it is now. Statewide average annual temperatures could rise from current levels by as 5 to 13 degrees, an average winter temperature could rise by as much as 22 degrees F in certain locations. Climate change is unavoidable, it’s already under way, and the observable effects are likely to increase with time. In the next century, predict changes of 3 to 10 degrees F. small changes in temperature will cause big changes to life on earth. With planning we can minimize the potential harm from coming changes and in some cases even find opportunities. Most planning for future climate change adaption is simply a matter of addressing current effects of weather extremes. The impacts of climate change are diverse, and vulnerabilities differ across regions and sectors.
No matter how great or how small the amount of carbon dioxide a country gives out it will affect everyone. Climate change is an issue that needs to be tackled soon before the damage it does cannot be repaired. One way we can fix it Kathryn Conlon who works for the National Exposure Research Laboratory said,” Extreme heat events in the United States are projected to become more frequent and intense as a result of climate change” (Conlon). With more frequent extreme heat, events occurring populations of people are going to be affected. Conlon also stated that” The combination of extreme heat creates dangerous conditions for urban populations [13]. For example, between 35,000 and 70,000 and over 700 excess deaths have been attributed to heat during the 2003 European and 1995 Chicago heat waves, respectively”(Conlon). With 74 percent of the population living in urban environments, these heat waves would be devastating on the health and well-being of individuals. The world health organization states that between 2030 and 2050, climate change is expected to cause approximately 250 000 additional deaths per year, from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea and heat stress. Another effect that is occurring is called ocean acidification, what is happening is the oceans pH levels are decreasing which is caused by the uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Lower pH levels in the ocean effects coral reefs and shellfish like clams and oysters. Ove Hoegh-Guldberg a university of Australia graduate said, “The result will be less diverse reef communities and carbonate reef structures that fail to be maintained. Climate change also exacerbates local stresses from declining water quality and overexploitation of key species, driving reefs increasingly toward the tipping point for functional collapse”(Guldberg). If coral reefs collapse, it will be catastrophic for marine life
The temperatures rise and the amount of rainfall decreases which disturbs the natural system of the Earth, causing ice caps to melt, sea levels to rise, plants and animal food sources to deplete which in turn affects humans food sources and agriculture, and natural disasters to occur more often. Similarly, climate change seems to have the greatest impact on the oceans and ecosystems along the coast. Many countries center themselves on their water supply; for instance, throughout history, population has always been the densest along rivers and lakes, but mostly along the coasts. People need water to survive, not only for drinking and their homes, but they also use water to import and export goods, and for transportation. “Many areas of the United States, especially the West, currently face water supply issues. The amount of water available in these areas is already limited, and demand will continue to rise as population grows. The West has experienced less rain over the past 50 years, as well as increases in the severity and length of droughts; this has been especially of concern in the Southwest” (“Climate Change Impacts”). Another concern of climate change is the rising of sea levels, which is caused by ice melting or the shifting of the land and the plates. When the sea level rises, it affects not only all of the human activities, but the quality of their water, as well as the plants
The country Maldives is a string of beautiful islands that can be found just southwest of India. The problem with this is that the islands are surrounded by the Indian Ocean and the sea level is rising because of global warming and the islands are no higher than eight feet above sea level. There is an overwhelming consensus amongst scientist that human activities from countries around the world are primarily responsible for global warming due to the use of fossil fuel, pollution, and deforestation. These activities contribute to excessive fluorinate, nitrous, methane, chlorofluorocarbon, and carbon dioxide gases being emitted into the atmosphere. These emissions contribute largely to the greenhouse gases which are the cause of global warming. The effects of global warming are; record high temperatures, glaciers melting, and sea levels rising. Even though the effects of global warming will eventually be felt by everyone, it will however be felt by low-lying islands like Maldives first, threating their very existence. As the ocean slowly consumes the islands the islanders will be subject to economic hardship, civil conflict, and displacement.
patterns, the eventual destruction of ecosystems, and the rapid rising of sea levels, each event
“Taken as a whole, the range of published evidence indicates that the net damage costs of climate change are likely to be significant and to increase over time.” (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) There are many different observable effects on the Earth due to climate change. Scientists have stated that global temperatures will continue to rise; this is due in a large part to greenhouse gas emissions. The IPCC also states that the different regions will have various types of changes. In the northeast, it is predicted that there will be heat waves, heavy downpours and a rise in the sea level. The northwest will see a reduction in the water supply, as well as a rise in sea level. There will also be erosion, insect outbreaks and an increase
Climate change is a global problem because this Earth is home to many, and the artificial sources causing climate changes have been caused by many people over the course of many years. The changes can be seen on a day-to-day level through the rise in average surface temperatures (Figure 3A, Figure 3B). Climate change will change landscapes and increase sea levels due to the melting of ice and changes in water runoff; put wildlife at risk of extinction; increase the risk of drought, wildfires, and floods; lead to increased likelihood of storm damage due to stronger storms and storms occurring in previously not at risk regions; and cause a development in more heat related illness (“Climate Change: Threats and Impacts”). The repercussions of climate change will affect every nation, and major changes will have to be made for everything from farming to fashion. With every way of life at risk and every person and nation making contributions, whether extreme or minute, climate change is undoubtedly a global
Global warming is caused by pollution eating away at the ozone layer of the atmosphere, as well as greenhouse gases trapping heat. The global average surface temperature rose 0.6 to 0.9 degrees Celsius (1.1 to 1.6° F) between 1906 and 2005, and the rate of temperature increase has nearly doubled in the last 50 years. (Riebeek 2) Many scientists believe that the effects of global warming will greatly impact the planet. Direct effect of Global Warming is increased heat on Earth then it will cause ice on poles to melt, leading to rising sea levels and land loss, because many areas will be under water. Besides that, many events of catastrophic weather will occur, such as droughts, floods, volcanic, tsunamis and earthquake. Although some areas of Earth will become wetter and flood due to global warming, other areas will suffer serious droughts and heat waves. Obviously, Africa will receive the worst of it, with more severe droughts also expected in Europe. After all, these effects spell one thing for the countries of the world: economic consequences. The chaos of weather patterns brought hurricanes, tsunamis, or earthquakes that cause billions of dollars in damage, diseases cost money to treat and control and conflicts exacerbate a...
The first problem is sea level rise. Sea level rise is due to more and more greenhouse gas emissions and melting glaciers, and the affect is coastal erosion and land area loss. The World Bank (2012, p.8) states that about 70 per cent of the biggest European cities are in danger from rising sea levels, and the sea level of these cities is less than 10 meters. Especially in the developing and developed coastal areas, for instance, Kolkata, Shanghai, Tokyo and New York city. The second problem is extreme events. Climate change include floods, storms, heat-waves and intense precipitation, these effects will cause terrible harm to the economic development of the coastal cities. The total damage cost of Hurricane Katrina was $130 billion, accounted for 25 per cent with the event of full macro economic costs. Extremes events in the developing countries have an undeniable influence on the economic growth (Hallegatte, 2006 and Hallegatte et al, 2007, p.33). The third problem is energy use. Climate change is closely related with energy use, depending on the different temperature and areas people could reduce the demand for heating or rise demand for cooling (EEA 2008). In addition, climate change may cause the different energy and produce more greenhouse gas emissions. These three problems will continue to exacerbate the climate change and influence the development of the
One of the major effects of global warming is the rise of sea level due to thermal expansion of the ocean, in addition to the melting of land ice. Now there are dozens of land areas that sit well below sea level and the majority of those land areas are very well populated. At least 40 percent of the world 's population lives within 62 miles of the ocean, putting millions of lives and billions of dollars ' worth of property and infrastructure at risk. (Juliet Christian-Smith, 2011) This means if the sea level rises to the projected level of 25 meters (82 feet) half of the world will retreat back to the ocean. (Rohrer, 2007) Also rising sea levels means higher tides and storm surges riding on ever-higher seas which are more dangerous to people and coastal inf...