What is Consequences of climate change? How it effects us
Climate changes
Scarcity of drinking water, rising floods and rising sea levels, in addition to food insecurity, will be consequences of climate change.
The increase in the planet’s average temperature could trigger long periods of drought in the future.
Climate change, as the term implies, refers to changes in climate that are taking place across the planet and that have effects that can already be seen in several of its parts. Extinction of several species, melting glaciers and rising sea levels are just some of the consequences unleashed by the rise in global temperature. Next, we will talk more about climate change and how it can affect the lives of humans and other organisms on the planet.
Global warming
Observe how human action can intensify the greenhouse effect.
Global warming is nothing more than an intensification so-called greenhouse effect. This effect is a natural and important phenomenon for the Earth , as it allows the planet to get warm, however, its intensification is harmful.
The greenhouse effect happens because in the atmosphere there is the presence of gases, called greenhouse gases, which ensure that part of the heat that reaches the planet is retained. The increase in these gases leads to greater heat retention and, therefore, to an increase in temperature (see following figure).
When we talk about global warming we are referring to an abnormal increase in the average temperature of our planet. To give you an idea, the average global surface temperature has increased by approximately 0.74 ºC in the last 100 years, and research indicates that this increase is closely related to the action of human beings, who, over the years, have increased their emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide.
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According to Greenpeace, greenhouse gas emissions have increased over the past 10 years faster than during the entire period from 1970 to 2000. This means that if we don’t control our gas emissions, we are likely to face devastating consequences.
Concerned with the changes in the climate that are taking place in the world, several governments and institutions have set goals and plans in order to prevent the consequences from being even more serious.
Human beings are largely responsible for the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Consequences of climate change
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) is a United Nations body whose function is to evaluate scientific information on climate change. Periodically, the panel publishes reports that show important data on climate change and its consequences.
In the Fifth Assessment Report Report, for example, the body made it clear that if urgent measures are not taken to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions by 2100, global temperature rise will exceed 2°C of pre-industrial levels. This increase could be catastrophic.
The most punished by climate change will probably be tropical countries, such as Brazil. According to IPCC reports, a series of floods could occur, due to the intensification of storms, and long periods of drought. In these two situations, livestock and agriculture may be harmed, as well as the survival of several species.
In addition, some regions may suffer from the large amount of rain, which will cause constant landslides and increased flooding. Another alarming point concerns coastal areas, which will suffer from the rise in sea level, thanks to the melting of glaciers caused by the increase in the average temperature of the planet.
The dry areas of the planet will suffer even more from the lack of water. Therefore, drinking water, which is already scarce in some regions, could be a reason for deaths and political disputes. In addition, with the increase in drought, the occurrence of fires may be more frequent, causing loss of biodiversity and threatening the lives of the population.
Faced with such a frightening picture, it is not difficult to conclude that several species of plants and animals will go extinct. This fact can already be observed today. In addition, food production could decrease, as any climate change directly affects the cultivation of several species. As a result, access to food will be difficult, not only combined with low production but also due to the possible rise in prices.
We must also not forget that human health can be seriously affected by climate change. Problems such as heat stroke, allergies, mosquito-borne diseases (such as dengue and malaria ), malnutrition and hunger can be intensified due to rising global temperatures.
Climate change could lead to supply problems.
It is also worth noting that, according to the IPCC, even if greenhouse gas emissions decrease, the Earth will continue to suffer from residual damage and will have to learn to deal with the gradual increase in temperature.
Although some of the problems reported are unavoidable, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is necessary for the intensity of these problems to be reduced. In addition, it is essential that all countries come together to make decisions that can help populations to face all the problems that lie ahead.
Paris Agreement
The Paris Agreement is a document, signed in 2015 by 195 countries, whose main objective is to take measures to deal with climate change. This agreement confirms the commitment between the countries to fight for the increase in the average temperature of the planet to be below 2ºC of pre-industrial levels.
To ensure the success of the agreement, each participating country built its own commitments. In the case of Brazil, for example, the country has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 37% below levels from 2005 to 2025. To ensure that this target is achieved, the country has also committed to increasing the participation of sustainable bioenergy in its energy matrix and to carry out restoration of more than 10 million hectares of forests.
According to the UN, in order for us to limit global temperature rise to below 2°C, it is essential that the world transform its energy, industry, transport, food, agriculture and forestry systems. We realize, therefore, that the efforts are not small and that there is a need for all nations to embrace this cause, in order to guarantee a better planet for ours and future generations.