
the impacts that climate change will likely have in the future. However, what we also need to become aware of is how the changing global climate is already impacting all of life on Earth today. When we realize how everything is already being impacted by a warmer world, it should motivate all of us to change how we live so that we can avoid the worst predicted impacts of climate change.
- Melting polar ice
- Sea level rise
Many coastal communities are experiencing eroding coastlines, with increased flooding in lower elevation areas. This has already caused some coastal communities to relocate in order to avoid the higher sea waters⁵. Some island nations are now seeing so much seawater flooding their country that they are considering moving their entire population elsewhere⁶.
- Increased incidents of heatwaves, drought, and wildfires
With increased temperatures comes increased and long-lasting drought. Harsh droughts and dry conditions are already being experienced in places such as in the State of California in the Western United States, where the aquifers have been quickly depleted during the current drought conditions. This is particularly alarming, since the State of California is where most of the U.S. produce is grown.
We are also seeing an increase in wildfires in many places due to the drier conditions present during droughts⁸.
- Stronger storms with increased frequencies
- The seasons are changing and shifting
- Stressed wildlife and altered wildlife habitat and behavior
References
¹ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/WorldOfChange/sea_ice.php
² http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/sns-green-climate-change-shift-story.html
³ http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/stable-antarctic-ice-is-suddenly-melting-fast/
⁴ http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/critical-issues-sea-level-rise/
⁵ http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/02/24/the-remote-alaskan
⁶ http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/03/27/world/climate-rising-seas.html?_r=0
⁷ http://goo.gl/vE2hvA
⁸ http://goo.gl/xZwicT
⁹ http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/fcons/fcons1.asp
¹⁰ http://goo.gl/mKtdfX
¹¹ http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/blue_planet/problems/climate_change/
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