Climate change is one of the greatest challenges humanity is currently facing. The consequences of climate changes have already begun to affect every aspect of our lives. In this essay, we will explore two of the many impacts of climate change.
First, one of the most significant impact of climate change is sea level rise. According to a study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), sea levels have risen by about 8–9 inches (21-24 cm) since 1880, and the rate of rise is increasing. Rising sea levels are usually caused by the melting of glaciers and ice sheets. This is a major concern, mostly to coastal cities and islands where there is risk of flooding. For instance, NOAA projects that in the next 30 years, sea level will rise 10–12 inches which will impact US coasts with coastal flooding.
Secondly, climate change is also causing more severe weather conditions such as hurricanes, droughts, floods, and wildfires. Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Events which will have a huge economic impact. For example, the most recent Hurricane was Hurricane Ian. A hurricane which damaged Cuba, Florida, North Carolina, and South Caroline and killed approximately 160 people and did at least $50-65 billion in damages.
In conclusion, climate change is a dangerous threat to our planet and its habitants. In addition, there are many human activities that cause the Earth’s climate to change, such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation. It is important to take actions to reduce greenhouse gasses, start using renewable energy and protecting the life that is already impacted from disasters before it is too late.
References
https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/hazards/sealevelrise/sealevelrise-tech-report.html
https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/d/dc/earth_temperature_timeline.png
https://www.britannica.com/event/Hurricane-Ian-2022
https://gml.noaa.gov/ccgg/trends/
