Global Warming effects

Greenhouse gases can stay in the atmosphere for an amount of years ranging from decades to
hundreds and thousands of years. No matter what we do, global warming is going to have some effect
on Earth.
1. Spread of disease
As northern countries warm, disease carrying insects migrate north, bringing plague and disease with
them. Indeed some scientists believe that in some countries, thanks to global warming, malaria has
not been fully eradicated.
2. Warmer waters and more hurricanes
As the temperature of oceans rises, so will the probability of more frequent and stronger hurricanes.
We saw in this in 2004 and 2005.

3. Increased probability and intensity of droughts and heat waves

Although some areas of Earth will become wetter due to global warming, other areas will suffer
serious droughts and heat waves. Africa will receive the worst of it, with more severe droughts also
expected in Europe. Water is already a dangerously rare commodity in Africa, and according to the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, global warming will exacerbate the conditions and could
lead to conflicts and war.

4. Economic consequences
Most of the effects of anthropogenic global warming wont be good. And these effects spell one thing
for the countries of the world: economic consequences. Hurricanes cause billions of dollars in
damage, diseases cost money to treat and control and conflicts exacerbate all of these.

5. Polar ice caps melting

The ice caps melting is a four-pronged danger.
First, it will raise sea levels. There are 5,773,000 cubic miles of water in ice caps, glaciers, and
permanent snow. According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center, if all glaciers melted today the
seas would rise about 230 feet. Luckily, thats not going to happen all in one go! But sea levels will
rise.
Second, melting ice caps will throw the global ecosystem out of balance. The ice caps are fresh
water, and when they melt they will desalinate the ocean, or in plain English make it less salty. The
desalinization of the Gulf current will "screw up" ocean currents, which regulate temperatures. The
stream shutdown or irregularity would cool the area around Northeast America and Western Europe.
Luckily, that will slow some of the other effects of global warming in that area!
Third, temperature rises and changing landscapes in the Artic Circle will endanger several
species of animals. Only the most adaptable will survive.
Fourth, global warming could snowball with the ice caps gone. Ice caps are white, and reflect
sunlight, much of which is reflected back into space, further cooling Earth. If the ice caps melt, the
only reflector is the ocean. Darker colors absorb sunlight, further warming the Earth.

6. More floods
Flooding represents one of the most dangerous hazards to human settlements and is one of the
most potentially momentous impacts of global warming. As the climate changes, a warming of the
seas creates thermal expansion. This is where warm water begins to take up more space than cool
water, making the seas surface level increase. Thermal expansion has already raised the height of
the oceans by 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20cm), according to National Geographic.
Steadily melting glacial ice also adds significantly to the elevation in water surface level, and many
low-lying or coastal communities and facilities will be under threat of eradication should the sea levels
continue to rise. An increase of just a single meter (3 ft) would submerge considerable sections of the
U.S. eastern seaboard, while one sixth of Bangladesh could be lost permanently by a rise of 1.5 m (5
ft), to name just two examples.
The relocation of power stations, refineries, hospitals, homes and so on would become an
expensive priority. Also, warmer air can hold more water vapour, increasing the level of rainfall and
bringing flooding to inland areas.
7. Fires and wildfires
As the planet continues to warm, dry areas of land that are already susceptible to wildfires are likely to
be ravaged by even more frequent and destructive episodes. In 2007, more than 3,000 fires brought
destruction to Southeastern Europe thanks to a long summer that created arid and parched conditions
a situation that would become normal as a consequence of the greenhouse effect.
What's more, the carbon dioxide and black carbon (a very fine soot) released by these large-scale
fires together with the deforestation they cause further compounds the problem of air pollution as
the gases that help to create the greenhouse effect are supplemented and less mature trees survive
to draw CO2 from the atmosphere.

8. Destructive storms
With ocean temperature being a key factor for hurricane formation, the consequences of global
warming will inevitably include the increased generation of storms and hurricanes with greater power
and frequency.
The destructive power of hurricanes has increased by some 50% in the last 30 years, a figure that is
closely connected with the rising temperature of the ocean. Warmer water leads to greater
evaporation, which in turn helps to not just prime the coalescence of hurricanes and cyclones but
also to maintain their vigour once extant.
Simply put, warmer oceans make for more extreme weather including devastating storms.
9. Death by smog
A powerful combination of vehicular fumes, ground-level ozone, airborne industrial pollution and the
stagnant hot air associated with heat waves, smog represents an immediate and chronic health threat
to those living in built-up urban areas.
It exacerbates pre-existing health conditions that affect the respiratory system such as emphysema,
bronchitis and asthma, and in general impedes the immune systems ability to fight against infection
and disease.
A hotter climate tends to lead directly to an increase in the levels of ozone, with smog-related deaths
predicted to rise by about 4.5 percent from the 1990s to the 2050s, according to relevant studies
undertaken by Columbia and Johns Hopkins universities.

10. Desertification
How global warming affects desertification is not entirely understood, yet it is clear that an elevation in
atmospheric and ground-level temperatures is likely to aggravate soil and vegetation loss in already
hot climes. An increase in evapotranspiration and the accompanying decrease in rainfall mean that
already semi-arid and sub-humid areas found across the world would face a future barrenness that is
almost irreversible. This would negatively affect biodiversity and have a major impact on local human
cultures and wildlife.
11. Tsunamis
Although global warming does not directly influence the formation of tsunamis, they can be generated
by events that are brought about by an amplification of the planets temperature. One example is the
melting of ice sheets. Being extremely heavy, massive glaciers apply a considerable amount of
pressure to the Earths surface underneath them. This anchorage decreases as the glaciers diminish,
resulting in a freeing up of tectonic masses that can lead to massive earthquakes and significant
volcanic activity, both of which are capable of creating deadly tsunamis.
12. Cold Waves
A cold wave is characterized by a major plunge in temperature over a 24 hour period. It can be a
devastating shock for crops and commerce, and also bring death and injury to humans and animals
through accidents, hypothermia and starvation. Damage to pipelines and property can be costly, and,
particularly if snowfall accompanies the cold wave, transport systems can grind to a halt, adversely
affecting the distribution of food, water and medical supplies.

More than 150 people lost their lives during the 2009 to 2010 winter after record low temperatures and
abundant snowfall caused disruption to much of Europe which doesn't take into account the many
thousands more excess winter deaths that were caused indirectly. It was the UKs coldest winter for
three decades.
It may seem illogical at first to attribute harsher cold weather to global warming, but a change in
atmospheric patterns brought about by receding glacial ice can lead to the redirection of polar air
currents and the sun's rays being absorbed by the larger areas of dark blue sea, while critical
phenomena like the Gulf Stream can be affected by changing ocean temperatures as well.
13. Increased volcanic activity
As already noted, melting glaciations can usher in new, more frequent and more dangerous episodes
of volcanic activity. The shifting pressures brought about by the lightening of the vast ice sheets allows
the Earths crust to bounce back and can cause eruptions in unexpected places like the one
experienced during Iceland's Gjlp eruption, where magma reached the surface at an unusual
intermediary point between two volcanoes. Potent or sustained volcanic activity can have an immense
impact on human life even if the activity is centred away from dense population centres. It also has
the potential to affect the planets climate by injecting tons of gases and solids into the atmosphere
that can remain there for weeks.
14. More dangerous thunderstorms

A consequence of the increased amounts of humid air generated by global warming is that more
thunderstorms will be triggered. Research into the dynamic between climate change and
thunderstorm power and frequency suggests that by the end of the century the occurrence of major
thunderstorms could rise by over 100% in some places. Not only that, but this increase would
generally occur during the existing storm season and not at times when such storms might provide
beneficial rainfall to arid areas. Thunderstorms are also a common way of starting the devastating
wildfires mentioned above.
15. Migration, conflict and wars
It is possible that future centuries could see increased friction between nations and ethnic groups as
dwindling resources lead to migration and conflict. Countries and factions would seek to control
precious, dwindling resources and provide safety and shelter for their own people perhaps at the
cost of others.
Simultaneously, previously heavily populated places would become uninhabitable due to heat or other
factors, displacing millions of people. These refugee hordes might be corralled into semi-permanent
camps, or even suffer at the hands of unwelcoming native groups.
Even now, relocations are taking place. Mumbais population is estimated to become swollen by a
further 7 million people by the year 2050 as global warming renders villages and hamlets
uninhabitable or unprofitable, either through flooding or drought. More land pollution would be an
inevitable by-product of these changes in habitation and the availability of resources.
16. More outbreaks of deadly diseases
As suggested, with warmth comes disease. Climate greatly influences some of the most deadly and
widespread diseases currently affecting millions of people across the world. With disease-bearing
insects such as mosquitoes able to multiply in staggering numbers thanks to even small rises in
temperature, global warming looks set to facilitate the spread of diseases like Malaria, West Nile virus
and Dengue fever to parts of the planet usually untouched. The increased number of sick people
could even overwhelm public health services especially in poor or unprepared countries.

The Deadly Dozen is a group of 12 diseases that have been identified as those most likely to spread
due to global warming. It includes Avian Flu, Cholera, Plague, Ebola and Tuberculosis. Other sources
of serious illnesses are exacerbated by the effects of pollution and the release of CFCs that harm the
ozone layer.
17. Loss of biodiversity and animal extinction
Loss of habitat for polar-ice edge communities such as polar bears is perhaps the most obvious
consequence of having a warmer climate. Animals that are entirely dependent on cold environments
will retreat to more northerly locations as the planet heats up leading to encroachment upon other
eco-systems and displacement of other animals from their natural habitat. A strong connection
between oceanic warming, declines in reproduction and increases in mortality rates among seabirds,
seals and sea lions has already been observed.
Acid rain has also been identified as having an adverse influence. One example of this is the death of
large amounts of snails in areas prone to acidic precipitation. Birds dependent upon the snails as a

calcium-rich food source and, without a suitable replacement for this loss to their diet, lay eggs with a
much higher amount of defective shells.
18. Death of ocean life
The worlds oceans absorb roughly 30% of all anthropogenic carbon dioxide that seeps into the
atmosphere, and so inevitably, as more fossil fuels are burned, ocean life will continue to suffer the
negative consequences of global warming.
One of the most critical changes brought about by global warming is the ongoing reduction of
phytoplankton. These tiny plants are an integral food source for ocean life and are responsible for
around half of the worlds photosynthetic activity. Essentially, they are the foundations of the oceanic
food chain, so a reduction in their numbers creates a knock-on effect that ripples up the entire food
chain, particularly affecting the predators at the top.
Additionally, ocean acidification and warmer surface temperatures increase the dangers to many
aquatic animals, particularly crustaceans, molluscs and coral reefs. Coral reefs are very sensitive to
temperature changes, with many of them already observed to have bleached and died thanks to
climate change.
19. Animal attacks
Animals that are driven from their natural habitats or normal migration routes by environmental factors
could easily come into contact with human settlements, leading to many deaths among humans and
already endangered animals.
During the serious, recent droughts that struck Kenyas Amboseli National Park, lions began to
venture out of the park in search of prey, resulting in attacks on the already decimated Maasai
livestock and even trapping some people in their homes.
Attacks on humans by tigers in India are on the rise as climate change affects mangrove forests in
India's Sundarban region. Similarly, sharks are moving into new areas to find stable food sources, and
some of these are heavily populated by humans. Experts say there are now more sharks in the waters
off California and Florida than ever before.

20. Diminished food and water supplies

With greatly reduced rainfall, more severe droughts and loss of soil fertility, food and water supplies
would soon diminish, resulting in higher prices, famine, disease, malnutrition, starvation and,
ultimately, death. Politically unstable countries or badly affected areas might descend into various
degrees of anarchy, with governmental collapses and shifts in authority as those in control of
resources become more powerful.
Countries that still retain good food and water resources might be unwilling to part with these vital
commodities or accept the millions of refugees that would seek new homes.

Ultimately these consequences would be catastrophic.

So what is the solution? Are we just being negative?Are there any positive effects of global
warming? What about all the stupid global warming solutions. We welcome your thoughts.

Global Warming
Circling the globe just below the Arctic region in Canada, Alaska, Russia, and Scandinavia, the global boreal forest is
the worlds largest land reservoir of carbon. This carbon bank stores 22 percent of all carbon stored on the earths
land surface, and almost twice as much carbon per unit area as tropical forests.
Canadas boreal forest stores an estimated 208 billion tons of carbon in its widespread forest and peat ecosystems
the equivalent of 26 years worth of global carbon emissions from the burning of fossil fuels at 2006 levels. It also
sequestered an average of 205 million tons of carbon per year between 1920 and 1989, roughly equivalent
Canada's annual emissions.
Fire and insect depredation are a natural and critical part of a healthy boreal ecosystem, but global warming already is
exacerbating this natural cycle, causing increased greenhouse gas emissions. Industrial activity also increases
emissions by removing forest biomass, changing hydrology, and physically damaging soils. While carbon emitted by
natural processes varies year to year, we must limit emissions resulting from human activity.
Letting the Carbon Out of the Bank
Logging, oil and gas activities, as well as peat extraction all release large quantities of greenhouse gas emissions out
of the boreal forest every year. In fact, even hydro development has been found to release significantly higher
quantities of greenhouse gas emissions than previously thought.
Given industrial development is unlikely to cease within the boreal forest, efforts to reduce the net greenhouse gas
contributions should be pursued across all sectors. This includes both increasing the efficiency of extraction
techniques as well as careful planning to avoid harvesting and extracting resources in areas with high carbon storage.
Protect the Carbon
Proper planning by Canadian governments can ensure protection of this ecosystem and the species that depend on it
while maintaining its carbon storage benefits. The Boreal Forest Conservation Framework, supported by
conservation, industry, and First Nations organizations, sets out a vision to protect 50% of the boreal in large
interconnected areas, and is the only proposal that ensures a large portion of the ecosystem and the carbon stored
there is protected.