Global warming has been assessed by meteorologists and scientists over the past decades as one of the leading causes of climate change, with far-reaching implications. As temperatures rise, they induce a range of environmental impacts, altering forests, coral reefs, glaciers, coasts and habitats globally. While the climatic repercussions of global warming must be addressed, there is an important need to understand its environmental effects.
The most significant environmental effect of global warming is the accelerating trend of ice melts in the Arctic, Antarctic and other polar regions. The increasing temperatures promote the melting of glaciers, resulting in changes that have a knock-on effect on weather conditions and ocean levels around the world. For example, since the Industrial Revolution, global sea levels have risen 26.2 centimeters, threatening coastlines of many tropical countries with flooding and permanent displacement. In addition, the melting ice is reducing the polar bear’s natural snow and ice habitats, possibly leading to their extinction.
Global warming is also radically affecting the species diversity of bountiful oceans. By increasing the levels of carbon dioxide in the ocean and raising temperatures, habitats along the coastlines are becoming increasingly hostile, leading to the displacement of many fish, crustaceans, mollusks and invertebrates. This has a direct impact on marine ecosystems and has the potential to disrupt entire food chains and endanger the livelihoods of coastal communities dependant on fishing. Moreover, with changes in temperature, sea currents and light conditions, ice algae are beginning to take over large parts of the seabed, crowding out other species and impacting ocean life.
Within the forests, global warming has enabled insects and pests to proliferate at levels previously unseen, decimating forests and ecosystems. For instance, in the Pacific Northwest, aggressive outbreaks of the mountain pine beetle were the direct result of rising temperatures, causing extensive damage to traditionally resilient conifer forests.
Climate change has also significantly altered life on coral reefs. Scientists now predict that coral reefs across the world’s oceans face the very real risk of extinction by the end of this century due to ocean temperature rises exceeding 1.5°C. coral reefs, already under pressure from environmental degradation, are vulnerable to just a 1°C temperature increase as this triggers a process called bleaching. This occurs when coral-algae, which thrive in the protection of coral tissues, become disrupted, leaving coral colonies with an inability to filter and adjust to extreme highs or lows in temperature.
Onshore, global warming affects the biological cycles of plants and animals, threatening multiple species with extinction. As the effects of global warming intensify, the geographical areas for such species become significantly reduced, leading to a deterioration in genetic diversity and an inability to adapt, resulting in extinction.
It is clear to see that the drastic global rise in temperatures due to global warming not only has an effect on global climate, but there are also resounding global environmental implications. To confidently protect the environment, society needs to focus on reducing emissions, implementing efficient energy policies and promoting carbon capture. These are all necessary steps that need to be taken to ensure sustainability is taken seriously and the effects of global warming can be contained.
