Saturday, October 22, 2011
Destructive hurricanes and storms
As the ocean temperature is an important element in hurricane formation, the results of climate change will include a powerful generation of hurricanes and storms, at a higher frequency.
The power of hurricanes increased with 50% over the last 30 years, a number that is connected with the rising temperature of the oceans worldwide.
Warmer water lead to more extreme weather including devastating storms.
Wildfires
As the temperatures continue to rise, dry lands are more prone to wildfires. Due to a long summer that created arid conditions, More than 3.500 fires destroyed significant areas from Southeastern Europe in 2007. This scenario is mostly linked to climate change and the greenhouse effect.
Among with deforestation, carbon dioxide (CO2) and the so called "black carbon" released by these fires help to the air pollution.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Lower water and food supplies
With extreme reduced rainfall, frequent droughts and loss of soil fertility, water and food supplies are constantly decreasing. A result would be higher prices, famine, malnutrition, starvation and eventualy, death.
Poor and politically unstable countries are the endangered ones, having high chances for governmental collapses and shifhts in authority as those in resources become more powerful.
Countries that still have enough water and good food might part with these vital commodities, accepting millions of refugees which would seek for new homes.
Dangerous animal atacks
Animals that are driven out from their natural habitats by environmental factors could easily come into contact with human population. This fact may lead to many deaths whithin our communities as wel as some of the already endangered animal species.
As an example we have the atacks on humans by tigers in India, which occur more often because climate change affects the mangrove forests in Indias's Sundarban region. Sharks are also moving into new areas to find stable food sources. Researchers show that sharks are now more in the waters of California and Florida than ever before.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
More frequent floods
At this point water begins to use much more space than before, making the sea's surface level increase. This process already raised the height of the ocean by 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 cm), according to National Geographic.
Flooding represents one of the most dangerous hazards to human settlements, being one of the most concerning impacts of global warming. Heavier rainfalls, sea level rises and the melting of polar caps, are just some of the numerous issues that will increase probabilities of flooding. As the climate changes, the seas get warmer creating the so called "thermal expansion".
Continuously melting glacial ice also boosts up the numbers, therefore many coastal or low-lying cities are under the threat of eradication. An increase of only 3 feet (1 meter) would cover up with water major sectors of the American eastern seaboard, while 1/6 of Bangladesh could be lost permanently.
Economic consequences
An expected result of the global warming would include droughts, floods, rise in sea level, crop failure, storms as well as ecosystem disruptions and threats to human health.
Most of the effects will have a huge negative impact on global economy, costing as much as 20% of the total economic output.
A good example would be the more frequent and severe hurricanes, which caused in the last couple of years billions of dollars in damage. In addition to this, only floods and droughts could displace 200 million people from all over the worlds by 2050.
Most of the effects will have a huge negative impact on global economy, costing as much as 20% of the total economic output.
A good example would be the more frequent and severe hurricanes, which caused in the last couple of years billions of dollars in damage. In addition to this, only floods and droughts could displace 200 million people from all over the worlds by 2050.
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