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What do we know about climate change now, and what can we expect for the future?

Climate change is a direct result of the "greenhouse effect," or the global warming that has occurred due to the trapping of heat within Earth's atmosphere. Gases such as nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor (as well as chlorofluorocarbons) are all contributors to the greenhouse effect; many have concentratedly risen in recent years due to fossil fuel burning, industrial production, the clearing of land, and other human behaviors.


This warming has already had drastic effects on our planet. Melting glaciers and polar ice sheets have caused rapid rises in sea levels (and sea temperatures) and the diminishing of certain animal populations (such as polar bears, which are now considered endangered species); these changes mean that the ocean is almost 40% more acidic than before. Extreme weather events--such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and wildfires--are growing increasingly more likely and intense, posing major threats to human habitations and life. Food security is a greater problem than ever before, with farmers across the globe and their crops suffering the impact of unstable water supplies and poor weather patterns. Natural habitats, such as the rain forest and coral reefs, and the organisms that dwell there face eradication. The list of damages to our ecosystems, health, economy, and world at large goes on and on...


Predictions for the continued evolution of climate change indicate that all these phenomena are only going to worsen if we do not regulate the systematic destruction of the earth. NASA (as cited by the National Wildlife Foundation) has predicted that 25 to 25 percent of plant and animal species will be at risk of extinction if the current page of global warming continues. Scientific American published an interesting piece outlining some of the future risks, which I have provided a link to below. These include a "projected sea level rise of 3 to 6 feet," with some coastal cities disappearing altogether, including New Orleans and Atlantic City; a possible increase of 14 to 15 degrees (Fahrenheit) by the end of the century; and huge losses of water supplies.


The UCAR Center for Science Education also outlines several tipping points that would mark the planet passing the point of no return: the collapse of major ice sheets, the shutdown of the ocean's circulation mechanisms and/or the over saturation of ocean water with carbon, and the sudden release of methane. Although these events may not occur "soon" per se (bearing in mind that "soon" is relative on the scale of the universe's timeline), they are all major indicators of extinction... and will eventually arise if humans do not find a way to significantly shift their wasteful, unsustainable behaviors and patterns. 

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