What Are Negative Effects of a Warmer Climate?

A warmer climate can have adverse effects on the environment, ecosystems and Earth's flora and fauna. The negative effects of a warmer climate increase with the speed at which the atmosphere heats up. Rapid warming makes it more difficult for plant and animal life to adjust to the changes, and once a threshold has been reached, it could be impossible to reverse the trend and reverse the negative effects.

Ecosystems

• A warmer climate produces harmful effects on the biodiversity in species that cannot adapt rapidly enough to adjust to the changes. Animals that have low thresholds for increased temperatures and which cannot migrate fast enough to counter the effects are likely face extinction. Migratory patterns of land animals and birds will change as the Earth heats up and precipitation patterns change. When migratory patterns change, the distribution of the species dwindles. Warmer climates can cause extended droughts and increased flooding in areas not accustomed to them, leading to plant and animal extinctions.

Human Health

• An increase in heat may have a direct impact on human heat-related illnesses and death. Higher temperatures exacerbate the air quality by worsening smog and ozone quality. The air temperature rises with the increase of heavy air particles and chemicals such as dust, sulfur, carbon dioxide and soot. The combination of heat and poor air quality causes respiratory problems in humans, particularly infants, children and the elderly. The hotter climate can increase the ranges of insects that carry serious diseases. Heatstroke remains one of the most common, harmful side effects of increased ambient temperatures in regions not known for them.

Agriculture

• Prices and supplies of food, including fruits, nuts, grains and vegetables can escalate as a result of shorter growing seasons and increased droughts. Plant and crop species can sustain decreased numbers if insufficient rain fails to mix and introduce nutrients in the fields and farms. Vegetation and plants currently near the warm end of their heat tolerance can die off en masse if the temperature rises just a few degrees during the growing cycle. A warmer climate can cause vast insect populations to infest agricultural areas, decimating crops and requiring expensive extermination measures.

Polar Region

• Polar regions containing glaciers and snow pack will experience the most drastic changes. When snow and ice melt down to ground-level surfaces, their reflective qualities disappear, allowing the darker ground colors to absorb more heat. The more snow and ice that melt, the faster the overheating process becomes. If the huge ice sheets and land-based glaciers melt, such as the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, water levels will rise. Rising water levels will affect coastal regions, flooding seaports, tourist areas, fisheries, residential and business areas. The release of icebergs will intrude upon shipping lanes, causing hazards to navigation.

Precipitation

• Warmer temperatures will disrupt the Earth's water cycle. The higher heat will cause the increased evaporation of water, gathering it in clouds. The higher evaporation will cause more storms, but storms will be of a more violent nature in areas that typically receive high amounts of rain and snow. Areas such as the Southwestern United States, which receive minimal rainfall, will be further drought-ridden. Areas that are not known for flooding could see major flash flooding and unseasonal downpours. Areas that have weak water-retention characteristics could suffer major soil erosion episodes.

Hurricanes

• Warmer temperatures heat up the surface of ocean water, making it expand and rise. Heated ocean water energizes hurricanes, where upper- and lower-pressure gradients clash. Recent studies suggest that future hurricanes will probably have higher peak wind forces and greater precipitation rates. The correlation between increased heating and more violent storms remains speculative, but evidence suggests that warmer temperatures will increase the frequency of hurricanes on a global scale.

Energy Usage

• Higher temperatures will almost certainly increase energy bills during the summer months, when air conditioners see their most frequent usage. People will water their gardens, fields and lawns more frequently, leading to higher water bills. Irrigation will increase, along with the energy used to power it, costing more in man-hours for upkeep and watering, and resulting in higher irrigation water costs. Hydroelectric plants, which depend on steady water levels in reservoirs, will experience sporadic or low water levels that could affect the production of electricity.