Impact of Global Warming！
Global warming not only involves an increase in temperature, it also leads to a host of other environmental problems. You sure you want to stay complacent about it?
The impact of global warming is emerging, such include the rise in sea-level, the occurrence of extreme weather events, as well as changes to ecological systems.
Temperature increase, along with sea-ice melting, have lead to substantial sea-level rise since the year 1880. Consequently, many low lying areas may become submerged under water, causing residents to lose their homes. In the Mediterranean areas, many of the world heritage sites as designated by UNESCO, such as Venice and the Italian city of Pisa, now faces the risk of damage due to sea-level rise.
Global Warming will also increase the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Over the past year, extreme weather events have occured in various parts of the world. Extreme weather events can leads to flight cancellation, suspension of work and education, infrastructural damage, economic losses and even injuries and deaths. Changes in climate and the environment not only affect human, it also disturbs the biological cycles of species, hence, will affect ecological systems and the entire food chain.
Era of global boiling has arrived
“The era of global warming has ended and the era of global boiling has arrived”, the UN secretary general, António Guterres, commented after scientists confirmed July was on track to be the world’s hottest month on record.
The greenhouse gas emissions brought about by human activities in the past three centuries have turned the earth into a greenhouse, leading to a sharp rise in global temperature. World temperatures in July 2023 will be 1.5°C above the pre-industrial July average, according to research from the University of Leipzig. If this trend does not change, bigger and stronger extreme weather events will occur more frequently and wreak havoc .In order to deal with climate change, it is necessary and urgent for governments to stop using fossil fuels.
Skyrocketing global sea surface temperature
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, July 2023 became the warmest and hottest July on record globally. A warming ocean reduces sea ice coverage, melts glaciers, and accelerates sea level rise, which also increases the frequency of marine heat waves. The increase in global sea surface temperature brings more extreme rainfall events. At present, the chance of extreme rainfall events occurring is four times that of before modern global warming started. If greenhouse gas emissions cannot be controlled, similar events will become more frequent.
Global warming brings increasing risk of wildfires in Amazon Forest
Global warming and intense deforestation could make the Amazon rainforest drier and increase the risk of wildfires, according to research from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. Fire does not occur naturally in the rainforest, but once the forest is cleared or thinned, fire plays an increasing role until it becomes the main driving force of the rainforest ecosystem. Frequent fires have been locking parts of Amazon Forest in a grassland state, preventing 56-86% of the forest from regrowing, causing negative impacts on the local ecosystem.
Walrus being forced to adapt to climate change
Global warming has pushed sea ice coverage to record lows, forcing walruses to alter their survival patterns. Ice floes are very important to the survival of walruses. Ice floes allow them to stop and rest when they are exhausted. However, in recent years, the sea ice coverage in the Arctic in summer has been shrinking repeatedly, which forced walruses to find a beach to rest, earlier than they used to do. In Alaska's Chukchi Sea, near 35,000 walruses were spotted on the same beach at the same time, and many young walruses were trampled or pushed off the cliff to death by other walruses. The example of walrus reveals how species are able to change their behavior in an attempt to adapt to climate change. However, such changes may not always be successful.
參考資料：
1."‘Era of global boiling has arrived,’ says UN chief as July set to be hottest month on record", The Guardian, 27 July 2023. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/jul/27/scientists-july-world-hottest-month-record-climate-temperatures
2. The Copernicus Climate Change Service (2023) July 2023 sees multiple global temperature records broken. Available at: https://climate.copernicus.eu/july-2023-sees-multiple-global-temperature-records-broken?fbclid=IwAR3FEaFq-bfcxC9i8DW_YRPLinNLR5QW1_QIsNyCood6r3y0desOsl8vZVg
3. Potsdam Institute for Climate Change Research （2023）。Amazon in the firetrap: Deforestation and warming lock rainforest in dry and damaged grassland state. Available at: https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/news/latest-news/amazon-in-the-firetrap-deforestation-and-warming-lock-rainforest-in-dry-and-damaged-grassland-state?fbclid=IwAR2dDLATNthSnWIZiAtU77lgI_Kq0FgMZnR1rCXH5A6kiFFvfowdv4G-hdc
4. '35,000 Walrus Come Ashore in Northwest Alaska', NBC News Digital, 1 Oct 2014, Available at:https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/35-000-walrus-come-ashore-northwest-alaska-n215356?fbclid=IwAR2fLhLUEb3qk7wqxVqw4r53MfuXWVBhQHLN7IjM90-J7GRWtVHu7vfuuPA