15 CONSEQUENCES OF GLOBAL WARMING AROUND THE WORLD - ENVIRONMENT - 2025

The main consequences of global warming include the melting of glaciers, the loss of crops, the decrease in habitable areas and the rise in sea level, among many others.

In order to be able to deeply analyze these consequences, it is necessary to emphasize that this is a phenomenon that has been observed in recent decades, in which the average temperature of planet Earth has gradually increased, making it warmer.

In the last four decades climate changes have been drastic. Source: pixabay.com

This increase is global because it occurs both in the atmosphere and on the earth's surface and in bodies of water around the globe. Scientific studies that have been done on this phenomenon indicate that its causes are directly related to the actions of human beings.

In other words, global warming is not a natural phenomenon, but rather man-made. What is worrisome about this phenomenon are its consequences that, over time, can be considered harmful or even deadly for all living beings on the planet in the not too distant future.

For this reason, different awareness campaigns have been created on its causes but with special emphasis on its consequences, with the intention that, even out of fear, the human being takes the necessary actions to avoid this phenomenon and, thus, its own extinction.

All the consequences of global warming that we can mention are closely related to each other, since almost all are causes of other phenomena that share the same origin.

Main consequences

Climate change

Global warming is often confused with climate change, but they are two different concepts that are related because the second is one of the consequences of the first.

Global warming is caused by human beings, while climate change is caused by planet Earth itself as a consequence of this action of human beings.

Climate is the set of natural conditions that surrounds a living being and allows its survival. These conditions have been created by the planet in its millions of years of existence.

In all that time the Earth has generated gradual changes in the climate that do not represent a problem for the planet itself or for the living beings that inhabit there; on the contrary, they are natural changes that have the purpose of generating adaptation and survival.

These natural changes are not extreme and occur over hundreds or thousands of years. However, as a consequence of the actions of human beings that generate global warming, in the last four decades climate changes have been drastic, which has put the survival of living beings at risk.

Climate change is the main consequence of global warming and almost all the others could be included in this single category, but since they are so numerous and diverse, it is necessary to study each consequence separately.

Melting glaciers

A polar bear in full swing, on Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, Norway. Source: wikipedia.org

As an obvious consequence of the increase in the planet's average temperature, the glaciers at the North and South Poles begin to partially or totally melt at an alarming rate.

Based on observations by NASA, different scientific studies determined that the largest thaw of Antarctica occurred in the 2000s. Based on these same observations, they have created models to make projections about the possible consequences of the current rate of thaw of Antarctica. Antarctica and Greenland.

It is estimated that the thaw generates more water for the oceans, interrupting their natural course and causing a different distribution of heat throughout the planet.

While in Greenland the thaw is caused by different climatic conditions given its proximity to the inhabited continents, in Antarctica the main cause is the high temperature accumulated by the ocean, which thaws the lower part of the glaciers.

Among other consequences, this thaw causes the rise in sea level and the release of large amounts of CO2, since one of the main functions of ice caps is to control the carbon cycle, since they normally absorb these toxic gases that generate the human activities.

Rising sea levels

One of the most obvious indicators of the damage caused by global warming is the rise in sea level.

As a logical consequence of the melting of glaciers and the increase in temperature, the sea is expanding. In the last century, its level rose 19 centimeters and estimates indicate that it will rise from 40 to 63 centimeters during this century if the necessary forecasts are not taken.

Taking into account that 71% of the planet's surface is water -that is, the other 29% is land surface-, the rise in sea level is the consequence of global warming that can most affect human living conditions..

By itself this is one of the most important effects, but at the same time it generates other consequences that make it difficult for all living things to live on Earth.

Decrease in habitable areas

It has been determined that 40% of the world's population lives less than 100 kilometers from the sea, which is why the rise in sea level as a result of global warming has caused displacement of coastal populations.

If the increase continues as before and the projections established by scientists are met, entire cities (including countries) that are at sea level or a few centimeters above, could disappear completely below the ocean.

Barcelona, ​​New York, Rio de Janeiro, Shanghai, Cairo and Sydney could be among the first cities to disappear.

In addition to sea level, the extreme weather conditions that different areas of the planet have reached reduce the places where human beings can live.

By converting previously inhabited areas into uninhabitable, entire populations have been forced to emigrate, giving rise to the term "ecological or environmental refugee" - sometimes also "displaced" - to identify people who have had to take refuge in other cities. since its place of origin was affected by some natural phenomenon.

This affectation must be such that it makes life impossible in that place, or that its reconstruction or recovery takes many years.

Increase in extreme weather conditions

As previously stated, the melting of glaciers means that the oceans do not distribute heat on the planet as they did before.

For this reason, in areas where high temperatures are normally recorded, it has reached its highest numbers, while in low-temperature areas, it has reached its lowest levels. In other words, the existing climatic conditions have been extreme.

Likewise, maximum levels of high or low temperature have been recorded in places that are normally low or high temperature, respectively. In other words, climatic conditions opposite to normal have been detected.

The same occurs with rains or precipitations, which have decreased or increased in frequency in some areas in a contrary way to what normally happened, and in others the usual amounts have been extreme.

Expansion of desert areas

As the distribution of heat carried out by the oceans has been affected, warm areas have become even warmer and with less rainfall, while tropical areas - especially rainforest - have experienced more drought.

This drought has also affected the already limited flora and fauna that exist in deserts, where the availability of water has also decreased. Areas considered semi-arid have become arid.

Increase in catastrophic atmospheric phenomena

Due to the high temperatures that are registered in the atmosphere, the sea surface influences the wind and the distribution of heat by the oceans, they occur in greater quantity and reach atmospheric phenomena that cause catastrophes in large or small populations, close to the sea or not.

As an example of this, it is observed that the increase in unusual rainfall in some cities produces floods. Likewise, the effect on the sea level creates a different wave that, in turn, alters the wind and generates more hurricanes and tornadoes. Additionally, varying temperatures in the atmosphere lead to more thunderstorms.

The entire hydrological cycle is affected and what is known as acid rain appears, which, along with global warming, is a consequence of the emission of toxic gases into the atmosphere, which aggravates the consequences of this.

Increase in volcano activity

Release of geological carbon into the atmosphere by an erupting volcano. Author: Ciencia1.com

There are research projects that link the effects of global warming with volcanic eruptions.

It is believed that, as the planet's temperature increases with the consequent melting of glaciers and the rise in sea level, the tectonic plates that would generate the outflow of magma are also affected and, therefore, increase the number of volcanic eruptions.

These studies were carried out in volcanoes in Iceland that were covered with ice, and in these the emphasis was on glaciers since, according to the researchers, their temperature and weight prevented the flow of magma.

However, as it moved as a consequence of global warming, the pressure exerted on the earth's surface decreased and affected the mentioned flow, increasing the level of volcanic activity.

Death of animals and extinction of species

Of course, the habitat of many animals changes due to climate change. By evolution, all living beings adapt to new environmental conditions; However, global warming has caused the change to be so rapid that some species cannot adapt in time and die.

This has resulted in many species of both flora and fauna have become extinct or are in danger of extinction.

The greatest example of this is the case of polar bears: with increasing temperatures and melting glaciers, their living conditions have been affected and their survival capacities have diminished.

There are several animal species that, due to climatic conditions, migrate to reproduce. Their own life may not be affected, but the existence of the species is affected as they lose control of their reproductive cycle. Such is the case of whales, which migrate from cold to hot waters to reproduce.

Something similar also happens with vegetation. When the water cycle changes, either because rainfall increases or decreases excessively, or because of changes in temperature that generate more drought, they die because their habitat no longer has the suitable conditions for their normal development.

Decreased drinking water

The ingestion of pesticides is lethal to health. Source: culturacolectiva.com

All the consequences of global warming fall directly or indirectly on water, either because it affects the oceans (and all the functions they have) or because they affect all the bodies of water that humans need to live, especially the drinking water.

When the temperature of the water increases, it expands; For this reason, the sea begins to occupy more space than it previously occupied, looking for places of expansion not only on the land surface, but also in bodies of fresh water.

Therefore, salt water makes its way between fresh water and reduces the amount of water that can be consumed by humans.

In addition to this, high temperatures also affect the quality of existing drinking water, and the changes that occur in the air and water currents affect its salinity and acidity, making it unfit for consumption.

Needless to say, the importance of drinking water for humans, both for ingestion and for their basic daily needs.

Increase in diseases

The ability of the human body to do any activity is also affected by the increase in temperature related to global warming. In addition to the release of toxic gases and changes in air currents that this implies, human beings are more exposed to suffering from respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

At high temperatures, allergy-causing agents such as pollen also proliferate, increasing respiratory diseases such as asthma.

To these diseases are added all those that may arise as a consequence of the lack of hygiene due to the decrease in the availability of drinking water.

Increase in infections by mosquitoes and the like

Tiger mosquito

The change in climate has also generated a variation in vegetation and fauna. For this reason, bacteria and animals from tropical climates have been able to survive in areas that used to be cold or dry, carrying diseases that did not exist in these areas.

Likewise, longer periods of rain or drought prolong the life of these types of animals, causing diseases such as malaria and dengue to increase.

Crop loss

There are several factors that have directly affected the land and its capacity to produce food. These include changes in temperature, the water cycle and sea level, the extinction or spread of animal species, the availability of drinking water, among others.

This in itself is serious, since it is basic elements for the survival of human beings, but it also has the connotation of also being their economic sustenance.

Global warming has economic consequences that affect human beings; such is the case of how affected agriculture has been by the climate change generated. The direct consequences on nature are obvious, but sometimes less decisive for man and his life.

Perhaps this is why many of the international treaties that have been signed in recent years to curb the impact of global warming seek to highlight the indirect consequences of this on the population, especially in the economic sphere.

It has been proven that the economic consequences can be seen more in the short term than the climatic ones and that, therefore, people can pay more attention to this phenomenon, because they are already being affected by it.

The lack of food that can occur as a consequence of climate change is real, since currently producers have had to modify processes to overcome the effects of it.

Decrease in hydroelectric energy production

Another indirect consequence of global warming is that brought about by drought. Much of the electrical energy required in the world is produced by the force of water.

By considerably reducing rainfall and increasing temperatures, this production has been affected.

This not only represents an economic impact for those who produce energy and those who consume it, but also for the environment, since the need arises to resort to other sources of energy production that are more harmful to it.

Little economic growth in the States

A recent study, conducted by economics professor Ben Olken and other researchers, showed a relationship between economic growth rates and temperature levels in poor or developing countries.

This study was able to generate an exact figure of how each degree centigrade that increases the temperature affects the economic growth of a country (1.3%). The study indicates that this is not only due to the effect of climate change on agriculture, but also on other sources of income, capital investment and efficiency in the workforce.

In addition to this, other studies have shown that the production costs of all items would increase considerably as a result of the measures that both governments and private companies have to implement to combat the effects of climate change.

These changes can include from means of transport to ways of obtaining raw material and processes associated with production.

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