Climate change impacts
Climate change impacts the environment by causing temperature rises, sea level increases, floods, droughts, cyclones, tidal waves, and landslides. These events are vital for our lives and essential to resources like water, energy, transportation, wildlife, agriculture, ecosystems, and human health.
Our Changing Climate “The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)” monitors weather and climate around the world. Here are some events that show how climate change is affecting our planet.
Global temperatures are rising
Surface temperatures have increased by about 2°F (1.1°C) from 1850 to 2023. This was updated in January 2024. Sea level rise is accelerating, Since 1880, global average sea level has risen by 8-9 inches (21-24 centimeters). This was updated in April 2022.
Climate reference glaciers tracked by the World Glacier Monitoring Service have been losing ice continuously for the past 36 years. This was updated in May 2024.
Arctic sea ice is shrinking
Between 1979 and 2021, the Arctic Ocean lost an average of 31,100 square miles of sea ice per year, an area the size of South Carolina. Updated in October 2022.
Atmospheric carbon dioxide is increasing
The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is higher. In 1757, there was 50% more carbon dioxide than before the Industrial Revolution. This was updated in April 2024.
Snow is melting earlier
Snow is melting earlier in the Northern Hemisphere. Between 1967 and 2022, snow cover decreased in late spring (April–June). This was updated in August 2022.
A complex problem
Climate change affects our society in many ways. Droughts can harm food production and human health. Floods can cause food-producing diseases, deaths, and damage to ecosystems and infrastructure. Weather events like droughts and floods lead to health issues, higher death rates, less food availability, and lower worker productivity, ultimately hurting the economy.
Hope for the future
There is still time to reduce the impacts and severity of climate change. We already know many of the problems and solutions out there, and researchers are finding new ones. Experts suggest that rapidly reducing emissions to zero will help avoid the worst effects of climate change and limit warming. To achieve this goal, we need to invest in new technologies and infrastructure, which will increase jobs. For example, we need to improve the technologies and facilities that capture and process renewable energy. Reducing emissions will also benefit human health, saving countless lives and billions of dollars in health-related costs.
Published on NOAA website
Rewriting by Rahman Mahfuz
