What will happen if climate change continues in this direction?

Our world today is already 1.8 degrees fahrenheit warmer than between 1850-1900, before industrialization came into our lives. The number might seem small, but if this rate continues exponentially, it can lead to some very disastrous events and have a heavy impact on all lives, humans as well as animals and ecosystems.

One occurrence that will happen is that sea levels will rise, which would impact 1 billion people by 2050. People living on coastal regions would have to relocate and many animals who have adapted near the water for thousands of years would have their homes destroyed and washed away. Another change would be the bleaching of coral reefs, meaning that the change of the ocean’s temperature would cause the reefs to lose their color and become more vulnerable to disease and death. An ice-free arctic is already happening, and ice-free summers could be the new reality if temperatures keep increasing. Heat waves would also become more frequent, which already has and will continue to affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Global warming also increases the amount of floods, due to heavier rainfall, snowfall, and other precipitation events. Another crucial event due to climate change would be the destruction of natural habitats. Insects, plants, and other animals will lose their habitats their ancestors have been living in for thousands of years. Losing their homes means their population will most likely go down, leaving a huge mark on the food chain which could lead to even more disastrous events.

Citations:

World Wildlife Fund. (n.d.). Our planet is warming. Here's what's at stake if we don't act now. WWF. https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/our-planet-is-warming-here-s-what-s-at-stake-if-we-don-t-act-now.