How does climate change affect us today?
We all know about climate change — but it may still be difficult for some of us to relate to this, thinking that the effects of climate change will not threaten our lives today. Well, some of us here could be entirely wrong. Climate change is happening and the effects are already evident today.
Here are some bite-sized information we have for you to understand the serious consequences of climate change better.
More droughts and heatwave; affecting food supply
It is no surprise that the rise in earth’s temperature causes more frequent and longer durations of heatwaves. Along with this comes more frequent and regular droughts happening in drier areas such as in the western US. This poses problems for residents located in these regions, as well as agricultural growth of crops and hence, bringing further issues to our food supply.
Amplifying natural disasters; losing friends and family
It was just recently that the California wildfire was all over the news — and this is one major consequence of climate change. The change in our climate actually makes hurricanes stronger and more intense, as well as longer and more damaging wildfires. As the temperature rises with the climate change, forests are primed for wildfires due to higher spring and summer temperatures and earlier snow-melt, which causes them to be drier and of higher temperature for longer durations.
Rising sea levels; relocation necessary
The sea level is also expected to rise by 1 to 4 feet by 2100, in less than a century. The rise of sea level would also result in some of our lands submerging into the waters. Venice is already being threatened by the rising sea level today. This would also mean less land and area for human beings to reside in, forcing relocation and societal problems may stem from this effect.
These are just some of the consequences of climate change. Studies have begun looking at data going back centuries ago, and warming trends are calculated by incorporating factors such as volcanic activity, solar activity, ozone depletion. However, one major problem and sign that we should start taking action today is that these advanced programmes can no longer accurately predict most recent warming trends unless they include greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activity. This is a serious sign that it is time we, as individuals, start taking part in this to make our environment cooler again.
Remember that while it may be difficult for us to turn Earth back to how it was before global warming, it is still possible for us to slow down the effects of climate change, starting from today.
2016 was recorded as the warmest year on record, and this record is unlikely to hold. We all need to be responsible for our very own actions.
