Climate change destabilises the Earth’s temperature equilibrium and has far-reaching effects on human beings and the environment. A distinction is made between direct and indirect effects of climate change. During the course of global warming, the energy balance and thus the temperature of the earth change, due to the increased concentration of greenhouse gases, which has a significant impact on humans and the environment.
It is not scientifically possible to assign individual weather events to the current climate change, however, it can be statistically proven that global warming will increase the probability of extreme weather events. The AR6 synthesis report from 2023 states that “Widespread and rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and biosphere have occurred”.
The direct consequences of man-made climate change include:
- rising maximum temperatures
- rising minimum temperatures
- rising sea levels
- higher ocean temperatures
- an increase in heavy precipitation (heavy rain and hail)
- increase in the proportion of violent tropical cyclones
- increase in aridity and drought
- decline in Arctic sea ice and snow cover
- glacier recession and retreat
- thawing permafrost
The indirect consequences of climate change, which directly affect us humans and our environment, include:
- an increase in hunger and water crises, especially in developing countries
- threat to livelihoods from floods and forest fires
- health risks due to increase in frequency and intensity of heat extremes
- economic implications of dealing with secondary damage related to climate change
- increasing spread of pests and pathogens
- loss of biodiversity due to limited adaptability and adaptability speed of flora and fauna
- ocean acidification due to increased HCO3 concentrations in the water as a consequence of increased CO2 concentrations
- the need for adaptation in all areas (e.g. agriculture, forestry, energy, infrastructure, tourism, etc.)
Many changes - especially changes in the ocean, ice sheets and global sea level - due to past and future greenhouse gas emissions over centuries to millennia, are irreversible.
Tipping points in the climate system
As the global climate is a highly interconnected system that is influenced by many different factors, the consequences usually result in positive or negative feedback effects. This refers to developments that are self-enhancing due to the occurrence of certain conditions. These tipping points are the crossing of thresholds for which certain consequences can no longer be avoided, even if temperatures were to be lowered again later.
A common example is the ice-albedo feedback, which refers to the melting of the polar caps. According to this, extensive ice surfaces have a cooling effect on the global climate, as a high proportion of radiation is reflected. As a result of the global rise in the average temperature, however, these ice surfaces begin to melt, the ice surfaces shrink and the amount of reflected radiation is reduced. At the same time, the area of land or ocean that has a significantly lower albedo will increase, reflecting less radiation and thus intensifying the actual cause of glacier melt.
Scientists can calculate the tipping points of individual subsystems of the global climate. The higher the global rise in temperature, the more the climate system is affected, so that at a certain point, despite significant efforts, a reversal in the process is no longer possible. Where exactly these tipping points can be found is difficult to predict. Such tipping points are expected for the melting of the polar caps and for the stability of important ocean currents. Other possible tipping points are the disappearance of the Amazon rainforest, the thawing of the permafrost with the release of methane and carbon dioxide, or the acidification of the oceans and the decrease in the absorption capacity for carbon dioxide.
According to the 2021 IPCC report, profound and long-term changes such as melting ice caps, rising temperatures and sea levels or ocean acidification have already been irreversibly set in motion.
Sources:
IPCC 2021
IPCC 10 Key Points
AR6 Synthesis Report: Climate Change 2023
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FAQs
More frequent and intense drought, storms, heat waves, rising sea levels, melting glaciers and warming oceans can directly harm animals, destroy the places they live, and wreak havoc on people's livelihoods and communities. As climate change worsens, dangerous weather events are becoming more frequent or severe.
What are the 10 impacts of climate change? ›
Climate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity. Climate impacts are already harming health, through air pollution, disease, extreme weather events, forced displacement, pressures on mental health, and increased hunger and poor nutrition in places where people cannot grow or find sufficient food.
How climate changes affect us? ›
The impacts of climate change include warming temperatures, changes in precipitation, increases in the frequency or intensity of some extreme weather events, and rising sea levels. These impacts threaten our health by affecting the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the weather we experience.
What are some effects that cause climate change? ›
Burning fossil fuels, cutting down forests and farming livestock are increasingly influencing the climate and the earth's temperature. This adds enormous amounts of greenhouse gases to those naturally occurring in the atmosphere, increasing the greenhouse effect and global warming.
What are the 4 major effects of climate change? ›
“Climate change” encompasses global warming, but refers to the broader range of changes that are happening to our planet, including rising sea levels; shrinking mountain glaciers; accelerating ice melt in Greenland, Antarctica and the Arctic; and shifts in flower/plant blooming times.
What are 3 possible effects of climate change? ›
Climate change is already having visible effects on the world. The Earth is warming, rainfall patterns are changing, and sea levels are rising. These changes can increase the risk of heatwaves, floods, droughts, and fires.
What are 4 major climate changes? ›
Climate change refers to the long-term changes in global temperatures and other characteristics of the atmosphere. We can see and measure climate changes around the world. Global temperature is warming, weather patterns are changing, polar ice is melting, and sea level is rising.
What are 5 human impacts on climate change? ›
Burning fossil fuels, releasing chemicals into the atmosphere, reducing the amount of forest cover, and the rapid expansion of farming, development, and industrial activities are releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and changing the balance of the climate system.
What are the 4 main things that impact climate? ›
The main factors influencing temperature include latitude, altitude, distance from oceans and lakes, and ocean currents. First, Earth's surface is divided into three temperature zones based on latitude. The tropical zone is near the equator and has a warm climate since it receives direct sunlight all year.
What are the seven effects of climate change? ›
Symptoms of climate change are all around us: extreme weather, diminishing sea ice, year after year of record-breaking warmth, drought, fires, and stress to ecosystems. Many of these consequences will create hardship for humans.
By 2100, the average U.S. temperature is projected to increase by about 3°F to 12°F, depending on emissions scenario and climate model. An increase in average temperatures worldwide implies more frequent and intense extreme heat events, or heat waves.
What will happen to Earth in 2024? ›
These and other factors suggest that 2024 could see even more extreme weather and climate impacts than 2023, as humans continue to pour heat-trapping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
What are the 5 effects of climate change essay? ›
The ocean level is rising, glaciers are melting, CO2 in the air is increasing, forest and wildlife are declining, and water life is also getting disturbed due to climatic changes.
Who is most affected by climate change? ›
Individuals with outdoor occupations may be at greater risk of negative health consequences of extreme heat. Persons with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease may be more sensitive to air pollution. Older adults with limited mobility are less likely to adapt or physically respond to an extreme weather event.
