Climate change: An Impact on Everyone

So, the Earth’s average temperature has increased about 1 degree Fahrenheit during the 20th century. How can this be a big deal? This may seem a minimal issue but it has caused enormous changes in the environment. This leads to a lot of people distressing over the changing weather patterns were experiencing presently. The changing climate impacts society and ecosystems in a broad variety of ways.

As human beings, facing the effects of climate change can be very difficult if we cannot adapt to the conditions. Warmer average temperatures will likely lead to hotter days and more frequent and longer heat waves. This could increase the number of heat-related illnesses and deaths. Increases in the frequency or severity of extreme weather events such as storms could increase the risk of dangerous flooding, high winds, and other direct threats to people and property. Warmer temperatures could increase the concentrations of unhealthy air and water pollutants. Changes in temperature, precipitation patterns, and extreme events could enhance the spread of some diseases.

Not only that this affect humans but also the ecosystem. Glaciers have shrunk, ice on rivers and lakes is breaking up earlier, plant and animal ranges have shifted and trees are flowering sooner. Effects that scientists had predicted in the past would result from global climate change are now occurring: loss of sea ice, accelerated sea level rise and longer, more intense heat waves. As scientists predict, the range of published evidence indicates that the net damage costs of climate change are likely to increase over time. So what are we going to do? Plan urban adaptation strategies, such as planting trees to minimize heat build-up in cities and manage storm water, or promote the use of cool roofs to reduce energy needs and improve air quality. We could also promote biodiversity and landscape diversity and protect intact healthy watersheds and natural corridors.