EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
INCREASING TEMPERATURES
As the amount of greenhouse gasses trapped in our atmosphere increases, so do our daily temperature. Since 1901, the average surface temperature across mainland US (48 states) has risen at an average rate of 0.16°F per decade. Shortening this timeframe, if we start from 1979, the average surface temperature in mainland US has increased by an astounding 0.54°F per decade. Increased temperatures increase the likelihood of wildfires and heat-related illnesses, such as heatstroke as well as a variety of other impacts.
RISING, WARMING, MORE TOXIC OCEANS
As the temperatures rise, more ice sheets melt, causing sea levels to rise, which pose a threat to coastal and low-sea-level communities. Furthermore, as more heat and greenhouse gases are absorbed by the oceans, they become warmer and more acidic, which create a major threat to marine life and coral reefs. As of 2019, the rate of pH decrease was approximately 0.02 pH units per decade, which is a change around 100X faster than any acidity change experienced in the past 55 million years.
STRONGER, MORE FREQUENT STORMS
As temperatures rise, the oceans' sea surface temperatures and atmospheric moisture increase, and that provides the fuel for tropical storms to become more intense and longer-lasting, which increases their potential for damage. Furthermore, the frequency of tropical storms, such as cyclones and typhoons increases, because they are sustained by warmer waters, which are appearing all over the world due to global warming. Examples of climate-change-fueled storms include Hurricane Harvey and Maria.
MORE SEVERE DROUGHT
As temperatures increase and climates change, water availability fluctuates heavily, which can exacerbates water shortages in already water-stressed regions. Water shortages can also increase the risk of agricultural and ecological droughts. Furthermore, droughts can lead to sand and dust storms that can move billions of tons of sand across continents. In the US itself, 41 U.S. states are experiencing Moderate Drought (D1) or worse.
FOOD LOSS
Climate changes, stronger storms, and increased heat have all led to a global rise in hunger due to food loss, mainly through the destruction of agricultural land or the destruction of marine ecosystems. Many fisheries and farms have been destroyed or become less productive. Right now, 225.4 million acres of crops in U.S. are experiencing drought conditions and from 1989-2019, 84.5% of fishery disasters were either partially or entirely attributed to extreme environmental events.
MASS DISPLACEMENT
Climate change has led to mass displacement, and as a result, widespread poverty. Frequent floods may destroy urban slums and low-lying communities. Frequent heat waves can severely hinder outdoor labor. And water scarcity may affect farms and water-stressed cities. Displacement can push a person into poverty by stripping them of their home, profession, and networks. By 2050, as many as 1 billion people could be displaced by the environmental hazards that climate change brings, such as rising sea levels or natural disasters.
BIODIVERSITY LOSS
Climate change poses risks not just to humans, but tens of millions of species across the world. Exacerbated by climate change, it has been estimated that the world holds an extinction rate of up to 8,700 species a year, or 24 a day. One million species are at risk of becoming extinct within the next few decades due to many climate-change fueled threats such as forest fires, extreme weather, and invasive pests and diseases. What makes this issue unique is that it's a two-way street: climate change has driven biodiversity loss, but that loss undermines nature’s ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, thus accelerating biodiversity loss.
INCREASED HEALTH RISKS
Last but not least, climate change is a significant health threat. Climate impacts such as air pollution, disease, extreme weather events, displacement, and increased hunger already take a heavy toll on our health but changing weather patterns add another variable: the spread of diseases. Since 1980, there has been an average of 361 deaths per year form climate diseases, however, over the past 5 years, there has been an average of 904 deaths.