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 Effects
of Climate Changes |
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Figure
from:Weather Online Asia
http://www.t7online.com/
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Probable
influences greenhouse gases may have on future climatesDuring the many warm periods in Earth's climate history,
greenhouse gases were also higher in amount. Even without
human interference, nature has it's own cycle, and no
organism can evade it. However, what humans nowadays have to
face is that the excess release of greenhouse gases might
have already, or will destroy natures balance, leaving
future generations a ruined future.
If
the concentration of greenhouse gases continues to increase,
the ground temperature will increase, causing changes in the
climate, including: |
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(A)Rising
Sea Levels |
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Melting ice in the artic region
Figure from:Sina.com
http://news.sina.com.tw/
Rising temperatures
causing icebergs to slowly melt
Figure from:Zhong Guo Ke Pu
http://www.kepu.gov.cn/ |
Because of increases in global temperature, the polar ice
caps will melt, glaciers in mountains will start to regress,
the volume of ocean water will increase, and the sea level
will rise, causing coastline areas to be flooded. The
biggest victims of rising sea level will be small islands in
the Pacific Ocean, and countries with many lowlands, like
Holland and Bangladesh. Other places with lowlands will also
be affected.
In
fact, these nightmares are already starting to appear.
English newspaper, "The Independent" pointed out on November
29th, 2000, that the Papua New Guinea government
in South East Asia has asked residents of the Duke of York
Island to move to islands with higher grounds. It was
reported that the Duke of York Island, which is located
between the New Britain and New Ireland Islands, was only
3.65 meters above sea level, and the sea level was rising by
30 cm a year. The senior officer of New Britain Island
noticed this immediate danger and ordered the relocation.
This has been the first incident worldwide of residents of
an area being forced to move because of possible flooding of
their homes caused by rising sea levels. This incident shows
us that the threat of the greenhouse effect is becoming more
obvious. If we don't try to stop excess greenhouse effect,
we could see millions more facing the same problem globally.
Besides island countries facing these serious threats, from
what the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
projects, if the sea level rises more than 55 cm, much land
will be lost, especially river outlets, deltas, and low,
flat coastal plains. Unfortunately these areas are usually
areas of high population density and industrial prosperity.
For example, the Nile Delta in Egypt, Bangladesh's Ganges
River and Brahmaputra River Delta, the Mississippi Delta in
North America, and the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River
Delta in Mainland China. |
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Tuvalu resident
home before and after ocean water invasion
Figure from:The Beijing Times http://news.thebeijingnews.com/ |
Global warming is the culprit
Tuvalu, located in the south of the Pacific, is formed by 9
coral reef islands in a circle, with a land area of only 26
km squared. It has a tropical climate and use to be a colony
of England, receiving it's independence in 1978. Tuvalu is
on the verge of being submerged in sea water because of
rising sea levels.
According to the IPCC's statistical data, in
the next century the earths temperature will rise another
1.4~5.8°C,
and the sea level will rise 80 mm, which means being
overwhelmed for Tuvalu.
Tuvalu's government has reached an
immigration agreement with New Zealand to move 80 people a
year. Niue has also expressed willingness to accept some of
Tuvalu's residents. However, because of the acceleration of
global warming, Niue is also in danger of being submerged.
<The Beijing News March 20th,
2006>
Global warming and rising sea levels are
endangering the island nations of Tuvalu, Kiribati, and the
Maldives. The second smallest country is in danger of being
swallowed by the ocean. Austrian environmentalists warn that
in the near future, rising sea levels caused by global
warming will cause the second smallest nation, Tuvalu, it's
neighbor Kiribati, and the Maldives (located in the Indian
Ocean), to be submerged by ocean water, and disappear from
the face of the earth. |
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(B)Changes
in Mountain Ecosystems |
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Warming climates
could cause male sea turtles to disappear
Figure from:The Epoch Times International
http://www.epochtimes.com/ |
Dramatic changes in plant types in high latitude areas
Low
latitude plants are moving north, but the speed is far past
nature's natural pace. According to data from around 10,000
years ago, vegetation moves about 25~40 kilometers a
century, but if the amount of carbon dioxide doubled, the
distance could increase to 599~1000 kilometers. With the
present emission of greenhouse gases, the doubling of carbon
dioxide amounts could occur in the 21st century.
Global Warming will cause migrating animals to become
extinct
The
Epoch Times, December 6th (BBC )
A
research project commissioned by the British government has
stated that climate changes may cause the extinction of many
species, including some migrating birds. |
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Threats stated in the report included: Melting ice caps,
growing deserts, rising temperatures in sea water, causing
changes in sea turtle sex, etc.
The
Department for Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs in
England has
commissioned The British Trust for
Ornithology to lead a research on these topics. The results
were reported in a meeting of the European Union Nature
Conservation committee. The purpose of this meeting was to
assist wild animals in adapting with warming climates.
Warming climates has already affected migration routes of
some birds and animals. Scientists have noticed that the
migration patterns of birds, fishes, and turtles have
changed a great deal. These changes seem to have resulted
from changes in atmospheric temperature. Some animals that
use to appear in more southern ocean areas, like the
Loggerhead and the Little Egret, are now seen in British
waters. Many species have the ability to adapt to climate
changes, by slowly enlarging their dwelling environments and
moving closer to the artic circle. But the report also warns
that many other animals do not have this option. The polar
bear and the sea walrus are losing their natural
environments because the ice in the Artic Ocean is slowly
disappearing. |
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(C) Abnormal
Global Temperatures |
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Satellite photo of Hurricane Katrina
Figure from:airtofly.com http://news.airtofly.com/
Global droughts becoming serious
Figure from:Taiwan Environmental Information
Association http://news2.ngo.org.tw/
Global warming, melting polar glaciers, and delayed polar
bear hibernation
Figure from: JQCQ.com
http://popul.jqcq.com/ |
Typhoon frequencies and magnitudes are increasing
Global warming is causing ocean temperatures to rise,
resulting in increased typhoon frequencies and magnitudes.
This is endangering the half of the global population living
within a 100 kilometer range from coastlines, with most of
them in harbor cities or areas close by. Notable changes in
the sea level will cause enormous economical damage to
coastal lowlands and islands, for example, speeding of the
corrosion of beaches by ocean water, and underground fresh
water being forced inland.
August 8th, 2005 New Orleans, USA
In
2005, Hurricane Katrina caused 250,000 Americans to evacuate
their homes. American environmental agencies released an
investigation on the 16th stating that the first
huge immigration wave caused by global warming and rising
sea levels are around the coastline of the Mexican Gulf, and
not the Pacific islands with lower ground levels.
World
drought situations serious
Global warming quickens the global water cycle, raising the
chances and magnitude of floods, droughts, and other extreme
weather.
2005-1-11 (ENS) reporter J.R. Pegg Reports
Washington D.C., US, lands ravaged by serious droughts have
doubled in the last 30 years. According to American
scholars, rising global temperatures is the main reason.
According to meteorologists of the NCAR, in 2002 around 30%
of land was hit by droughts, compared to 10~15% in the 70s.
Temperatures could rise 2~4.5°C
this century – Xinhua online 2007-02-01
English newspaper "The Independent" reports
on the 29th that from the collective predictions
of several climatologists worldwide, the global temperature
could rise 2~4.5°C this century. Some areas may even see an
increase of up to 6°C.
Extreme weather is expected to increase in
number and seriousness. In a warmer world, long term heat
waves and droughts will become common in many areas, causing
huge losses for humans and the ecosystem. When the
temperature of the ocean increases, hurricanes and typhoons
will also become more frequent and more violent. |
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(D)Destroyed
Environments and Changing Natural Balances |
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Accelerated growth speed causing barren soil
Figure from:Lingnan University, HK
http://www.ln.edu.hk/
Coral reef bleaching
Figure
from:ENS http://www.ens-newswire.com/
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Because of climate changes, rising temperatures will effect
the growth and spread of plants and crops, and speed up
their growth, causing barren lands and restricting
vegetative growth, indirectly disrupting the ecosystem and
changing the balance of nature. Rising temperatures and
increasing droughts will cause bad harvests. Some pests,
like locusts, grow better under hot and dry climates,
causing pest problems and lowering harvests, resulting in
food shortages.
Most
species do not migrate according to temperature changes, and
these plants that do not move will be most hard hit by the
increasing temperatures. Coastal swamps will disappear
resulting in drops in fish quantities, especially shellfish.
River outlets will turn salty, lowering the amount of fresh
water fish, and increasing salt water fish types. Rising
water temperatures are also devastating to coral reefs.
Corals have unicellular organisms providing them with
nutrition. If the water temperature rises 1~2 degrees, the
corals will feel the drastic changes in the environment and
under pressure, reject these unicellular organisms, causing
the reefs to slowly die. If the coral reefs disappear, it
will affect other ocean fishes and other organisms with food
sources related to the reefs, causing huge destruction to
the whole ocean ecosystem.
NS
England, New Castle reports
According to a 1988 report on the long term effects of
global warming on the Indian Ocean, global warming has
already caused harm to the coral reefs of the Seychelles;
when coral reefs bleach, they can not be restored. Research
has discovered that fish types relying on the corals for
life have become extinct in the region. |
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(E)Bad
Effects on health |
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England under a heat wave
Figure from:BBC Chinese http://www.bbc.co.uk/
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In
terms of health, there will be widespread and bad effects
Because of the increased frequencies of heat waves, deaths
and illnesses have increased, and some communicable diseases
may increase their range of communication.
Rising global temperatures will affect humans to a great
extent. Flooded lowlands, abnormal climates, and bad weather
are all examples. High temperatures are also fit for pests
and viruses, threatening human health.
July, 2006 was the hottest month in England's
history, reaching a high of 36.5°C.
Fields in Kent County of England, known as the garden of
England, turned yellow. The pleasant and green scenery of
summer all turned brown. |
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(F)Changing
local resources cause the supply of food, water, fish
catches, and etc to become unbalanced,
causing
international economic and social problems.
As a whole, the poorer nations are
hit harder, because they have less adaptation abilities.
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