In this post, I want to focus on two different aspects of climate change. Firstly I'll discuss how it affects us regarding the climate system. Secondly I'll suggest how it may affects us more directly on the human and biological scale. As seen in the embedded picture below, the melting of ice caps is likely to lead to drastic consequences affecting all of us, no matter how far from the ice caps we may be.
Changes in the climate system due to melting polar ice caps are most easily observed by the average temperature changes measured in regions with polar ice caps compared to those consisting more of the oceans and land demographic. Climate change is increasing a rate much greater in these areas and therefore is affecting the polar ice caps an extraordinary amount. The evidence of this warming is presented largely by the issue itself: widespread melting and destruction of the polar ice caps and glaciers. This increase in climate is expected to continue throughout the rest of this century due to the large amount of green house gas emissions found in our atmosphere. Now a days it is common knowledge that sea-levels are rising world round, and this is largely due to the melting of glaciers as they due to displace ocean water until they melt down into a liquid, unlike polar ice caps.
Regarding affects to the biological and human systems, there is sure to be massive implications due to changing ecosystems and therefore the changing in patterns of migratory species found in the arctic. Not only is the harmful to the animals who call the arctic home, but also humans whose main source of nutrition is provided by these species. The thawing of frozen ground will likely also displace buildings, housing and industrial faculties which many human populations depend on. A small positive benefit is that there is likely to be greater wildlife growth in the arctic, once the ice has cleared allowing for greater carbon dioxide removal, although this will then still lead to darker ground and more sun absorption resulting in further climate heat increase.
I believe these changes to be very relevant to all of our lives, the negatives outweigh any positive benefits drastically, and an effort should be made on all individuals parts to help decrease their personal carbon footprint as well as educate those unfamiliar with climate change and it's outlying consequences.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency website, was a huge inspiration in the information I have laid out here. It can be found at this address: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/
No comments:
Post a Comment