Going into this class I was only vaguely aware of the hazards of the changing climate and the dangerous effects of global warming that are becoming evident in our environment. The material that I have learned in this class has allowed me to have a much better understanding of how important it is to do my best to prevent these negative effects on the environment. It is extremely critical for the inhabitants of the world to learn to stop destroying the environment, to focus on decreasing these negative effects, and to maintain a strong and healthy world for us to live in.
Climate can be any type of pattern or action that a general area of land experiences over a certain time period, such as: precipitation, temperature, or wind pressures. Due to our poor treatment of the environment and the constant increase of global temperatures, there will probably be many changes and negative consequences that the human race will have to adapt to in order to survive. So, what are some of the consequences for this global climate change? According to the PDF file “Impact and Remediation”, some predicted consequences include: sea levels rising due to ice and glaciers melting (which could result in a loss of coastal communities and islands), ecosystems being severely damaged or destroyed (causing whole species to be threatened or wiped out), human food supplies being decreased, and human health being threatened due to changes in diseases or affected areas. Most of the glaciers in danger of melting are vital water sources for some populations. The threat of much higher sea levels is also an extreme concern from the disappearing glaciers. With the higher sea levels, the water will eventually creep up onto land inhabited by people and can even destroy homes and communities close to the water. The Impact and Remediation file also states that in the decade from 1993 to 2003, the sea level has risen close to 2.5 centimeters. Although this sounds like a small number, the sea level is expected to rise about 12 centimeters in the next 50 years. Every centimeter higher that the ocean rises results in about 1 meter in lost beach. These consequences indicate a positive feedback process . A positive feedback process occurs when ‘smaller’ problems increase the rate of reaction, leading to much bigger problems. A good example of a positive feedback process can be found in the Impact and Remediation file: the warming climate leads to wetlands increasing; wetlands release harmful greenhouse gases, which warm the climate even further. Major climate change in many ecosystems can result in added stress and, sometimes, death to many of the animal and plant species throughout the world. Also, these extreme climate changes affect many people’s lifestyles through effects on things like agriculture and the manufacturing of certain wood products. Through my research, I also noticed that wealthier and more developed nations will be much better off than under-developed and poorer countries...
