Scientists, economists, and policy makers all agree the world is facing threat from climate warming. Climate warming is caused by excess greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide which are heat trapping gasses. Human use of fossil fuels is a significant source of these gasses. When we drive our cars, heat our homes with oil or natural gas, or use electricity from coal fired power plants, we contribute to global warming. Including any loss of trees or forests also contributes, considering trees convert carbon dioxide to oxygen. Global warming will have a worldwide effect but the problem is expected to be most severe in Africa, where the people are poor, temperatures are high, precipitation is low, technological change is slow, and where agriculture drives the economy. Climate changes in Africa will ultimately affect their habitats, native and non-native species, agriculture, weather, health, and energy use.
First, across Africa the landscape is changing, the snowy caps of Mount Kilimanjaro are melting and the shorelines of Lake Chad are receding. The once enormous Lake Chad has nearly vanished, it is now half the size it was thirty five years ago (Offor, 2008). The town of Burundi is on Lake Tanganyika, which is still a vast expanse of water, but the shoreline has retreated 50 feet in the last 4 years, and ships can no longer reach the port. Lake Victoria, the biggest of Africa's great lakes, dripped by a vertical inch a day for much of last year. The receding of these lakes along with a change in temperature of the water will now deplete the fish stock. As the fish sources decrease, this limits the amount of fish caught and sold by fisherman. When the regular food source is strained, Africans may turn to hunting wil...
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...nal Climate and Environmental Research: www.cicero.vio.no
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In recent decades, the contentious issues surrounding climate change and the corresponding effects it likely exerts upon contemporary civilization has developed to become one of the most pressing areas of concern afflicting humanity (Armstrong, 1). Currently, climate change has started to demonstrate its potentially calamitous consequences upon human subsistence practices, and has even begun to alter the very environments that entire societies reside in, theoretically endangering them in both instances (Armstrong, 1). Though the hindrances inherent in climate change are potentially devastating to the preservation of modern society, the problem of climate change itself is not one that is exclusive to the contemporary era. Rather, the harmful
The effects of climate are felt throughout the world, all living things are affected with it. The effects of climate change are affecting directly the human life. It has been noticed that around the globe, seasons are shifting, temperatures are climbing and sea levels are rising. The world compares to century ago, it has changed drastically and it is becoming worse with climate change. Climate change will rapidly alter the lands and waters which we all depends upon for survival which will leave our children thus the future generation with a different world. In the time to come if not much is done for the case of climate change, There will be shortage of food and drinks, many new illnesses and diseases and some part of the world will become in appropriate for living things to live due to natural disaster. It can be that with the rapid Global warming and climate change, one-fourth of Earth’s species could be headed for extinction by the year 2050.
The causes of climate change are also known to them that though it is not only the human action playing role but it is the main cause of climate change. The effects of climate change does include harm and loss of environment and organisms but it also has impact on the human health. Semenza (2014) displays an assessment report which states that throughout the 21st century, the rapidly occurring climate change will lead to increase in number of humans with ill health in many regions mainly in those of developing countries where citizens face low income. Semenza (2014) also mentions how there are physiological limits to intense heat exposure and the global climate change will turn some parts of the world which are currently highly populated into uninhabitable even if the global temperature rises by 7 degrees Celsius. Johnson (2014) states how El-Niño-related hydroclimate variability will lead to being intensified under global warming mainly in areas as southern Asia which are already stressed by different droughts, floods, and crop yields. Dettinger, Udall, and Georgakakos (2015) mentions how climate change puts risk and threat on water resources in the western United States to an extent that no other part of the country matches it. Dettinger, Udall, and Georgakakos (2015) also states how recent research and studies strictly point a limited number
Works Cited Attoh, Samuel Aryeetey, ed. Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa. 3 rd. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education, Inc., 2010. Book.
Although it is often a topic for contention in politics, global warming over the span of several decades, has led to climate change, which has had an alarming impact globally. Climate change needs to ...
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The first part of this essay discusses what the human species has done to deal with the problem of climate change. While some improvements have been made, the problem has not been addressed aggressively enough to stop the damage. What is amazing about this is the denial of so many people that problems exist. If they do realize the risks, they are simply not taking actions to contain the damage.
Furthermore, this analysis must take place amidst serious gaps in the existing research and technology concerning the developing climatic conditions. For these reasons, global warming stands as one of the most daunting policy issues facing our world today. This is compounded by the debate over the very existence of climate change. While countless sources of empirical evidence testify to the very real presence of climate change the world over, considerable denial of the phenomenon still exists. The argument has been made that evidence of climate change is a gross overstatement, or in some cases, a complete fabrication.
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Climate change. Retrieved from:http://www.ipcc.ch The Land Learn, NSW (n.d). Climate change and its impact. Retrieved from: http://www.landlearnnsw.org.au/sustainability/climate-change/agriculture/livestock/impacts The National Drought Mitigation Center(n.d).
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Global warming is an increase in average global temperatures. This will lead to rising temperatures of the oceans and the earth’s surface. Coal is a main contributor to global warming because so much electricity is produced from coal-burning power plants. According to the book Global Warming by Peggy Parks, “In the United States, more than 50 percent of all electrical plants use coal, which also provides power for about 40 percent of the total electricity generated throughout the world” (43). Global warming is also caused because of deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels. Many people say that global warming is natural; however, people speed up the process. Global Warming needs to be taken serious because as the temperature rises, it causes melting of polar ice caps, a rise in sea levels or unnatural patters of precipitation which can result in floods. This can also have an effect on wildlife such as the food chain. Many species have been dying of starvation and many have to move to different places due to the temperature changes. Possible solutions to Global Warming is for people to switch to LED light bulbs as it gives the same light and uses less electricity, wash clothes in cold water, buy less products, and to spread the
Although systems have been looked at, South Africa is particularly vulnerable to climate change because, amongst other things, a large proportion of the population live in abundance to poverty and have low resilience to extreme weather. With already a low and variable rainfall pattern, predictions testify that by 2050 areas will be experiencing extremely high temperatures in Spring, Summer and some parts of Autumn with Winter experiencing rapidly decreasing temperatures below -65 degrees Fahrenheit. It will also become drier and hotter affecting agricultural production and biodiversity distribution. Saving and conserving fresh water now will ensure that in times of drought and extreme weather, people will have other alternatives to turn to especially with the amount of rainfall to be expected in the adjoining future.