Rising sea levels
Effects of climate change - Rising sea levels
Scientists predict that if global warming continued, the ice at the North and South poles will melt and this would lead to higher sea levels around the world. This picture shows a prediction of what South America would look like if all the ice at the poles melted.
Drought
Effects of climate change - Drought
Whilst some places in the world will be hotter and wetter, some places in the world will become hotter and drier leading to droughts. This will have an impact on food production.
Increased coastal flooding
Effects of global warming - Increased coastal flooding
As the sea warms up, it expands and this thermal expansion of the sea is forecast to lead to a rising in sea levels of 1-4 metres.
To put it simply:
Climate change is a global issue.
Everyone has an individual responsibility to reduce it.
What are you going to do today?
Reduction in glaciers and ice cover
Effects of global warming -
Reduction in glaciers and ice cover
Glaciers have been retreating around the world since 1850. This will have an effect on the farming areas that are irrigated by streams that are fed by melting snow water. Kenya and Peru are already feeling these effects.
The US navy has been sending submarines under the north pole since the 1960s and they have been measuring the ice as they go. They have noticed that the frozen ice that makes up the North Pole has been shrinking in area and in thickness. It now has cracks developing in it as can be seen in this picture here.
An increase in severe storms
Impact of global warming - more storms
This is really more than in increase in severe storms, it is an increase in extreme weather so there will be more heat waves, more extreme heat and more extreme cold. North America has already witnessed an increase in hurricane activity.
Desertification
Effects of global warming - desertification
Desertification is where the deserts of the world will spread and increase into areas surrounding them. This is due to changes in the climate in their principal areas.
Loss of wildlife
Effects of climate change - loss of wildlife
Plants and animals will lose their habitats through changing climates and this will lead to some animals becoming extinct and some major food growing areas coming under stress.
Reduced food production
Consequences of climate change -
Reduced food production
Places close to the equator will see lower food production as a result of higher temperatures whereas places in middle latitudes and higher latitudes nearer the poles will see higher food production.
