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The Natural Effects of Global Warming

The effects of global warming are not just something to watch out for in some distant future time --- they are happening right now. National Geographic reports that the planet is in fact warming everywhere from the North Pole to the South Pole, and the global temperature has gone up 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit over the last century. If left unresolved, the potential consequences of global warming are troubling at best, and life-altering at worst.

  1. Rising Sea Levels

    • Scientists predict that as temperatures continue to increase over the globe, the sea levels will increase with it. This is a result of melting ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland, which will cause significant problems for the east coast of the United States as well as nations around the world. Rising sea levels will displace inhabitants of low-lying land everywhere, including numerous tropical islands in Indonesia.

    Extreme Heat Waves

    • Major heat waves occur two to four times more frequently than in previous times according to Maria Colenso of the Discovery Channel's Curiosity Online. Colenso writes that an increase of heat waves are expected due to global warming, which may lead to additional forest fires and heat-related illnesses. Epidemics like the 2003 heat wave in Europe that took the lives of thousands may occur with more frequency.

    More Storms

    • As global temperatures rise, water heat increases as well, and warmer bodies of water mean an increased likelihood of violent storms. The occurrences of category 4 and 5 storms such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005 have increased significantly since 1980, and the trend continues. Between 1931 and 1994 hurricanes occurred at a rate of roughly 5.1 per year. That number jumped to 8.4 for the time period of 1995 to 2005, according to the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory.

    Extinct Wildlife

    • The Natural Resources Defense Council states that if the current rate of global warming continues, an estimated one million species of wildlife will become extinct by the year 2050. Polar bears in particular are predicted to suffer from melting ice in glacial areas, as the need to swim longer distances results in more frequent cases of drowning. It's estimated that only 33 percent of the polar bear population will remain by the middle of the 21st century. Coral reefs are also at risk, as global temperature increase of just 3.6 percent would destroy 97 percent of their population.

    Severe Climate Changes

    • Families in warmer climates may soon have to face the dilemma of relocating to a milder region or going hungry. With climate change comes shortened water supplies, which hinders sanitation, economic development and the livelihood of ecosystems, according to Derek Markham of Planetsave. Floods and droughts will become more common in some areas, resulting in failed crops and a sharp decline in food production.

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