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What is Happening with Global warming?
The effects of global warming on the environment and on human life it is said are going to be many and varied.
The most frequently suggested effects are to do with the environment and weather.
- Drought, flooding and heavy storms may become more frequent and extreme as the climate changes.
- In the northern hemisphere the artic region has experienced rises in temperature that have caused glaciers to retreat and even to disappear. The loss of glaciers causes landslides, flash floods and increases annual variation in water flows in rivers.
- With the increasing rise in global temperature the water in the oceans continues to rise. Additional water locked up in the glaciers is released.
- The temperature rises in the oceans affecting the ecosystems and reducing the oceans ability to absorb carbon dioxide.
- It has been suggested that global warming and the melting of the glaciers may interfere with the circulation of the water in the oceans and could trigger off localised cooling or lesser warming in areas such as Britain and Scandinavia.
- As the sea levels rise there may be major changes in coastlines and a flooding of low lying land areas.
- As the temperatures rise so there is likely to be significant numbers of animals and plants that will become extinct as they are unable to adapt to the changes quick enough.
- Western Siberia has the largest peat bog in the world. A one million square meter region of permafrost peat bog was formed 11,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age. The melting of this peat bog is likely to release large quantities of methane. Methane is an extremely effective greenhouse gas.
- Methane hydrate is a form of water ice that holds large amounts of methane within its crystal structure. Extremely large deposits of methane hydrate have been found under sediments on the ocean floors. The release of this trapped methane is a potential major outcome of a rise in temperature. It is thought that this might increase the global temperature by 5% on its own.
- Rising global temperatures might cause forest fires to occur on a larger scale, and to occur more regularly. This releases more carbon into the atmosphere than the carbon cycle can naturally absorb.
- The retreating sea ice in the arctic sea area has meant that in 2007 the Northwest Passage became navigable for the first time in recorded history.
There are other areas of life that may well be affected by global warming.
- Economic. It has been suggested that global warming could affect growth, which could be cut by one- fifth unless drastic action is taken. Failure to do so could risk worldwide recession.
- Agriculture. Rising atmospheric temperatures, longer droughts and their side effects are likely to bring about substantial reduction in crop yields in many parts of the world.
- Water scarcity. Increased evaporation will reduce the effectiveness of the reservoirs and increased extreme weather means water falls on hardened ground unable to absorb it leading to flash floods.
- Health. Global warming could lead to a major increase in insect-bourns diseases in Britain and Europe as Northern Europe becomes warmer.