We already know that climate change will be affecting us in the future, but we need to get a clear picture of the actual effects it will have. There are many places to look at, such as the ocean,  and global temperatures. Oftentimes, there is not a clear discussion of what will actually happen, so you must take these points with a grain of salt. 

 

Global Temperatures

By our current estimates, it seems that the overall global temperature will rise by three degrees Celsius by 2100. This is a very tragic number because of the various implications that it would have, but it is slightly hopeful considering estimates a decade ago put this number at around 7 degrees celsius. This should not be the cause of celebration because the warming of three degrees still will result in a major disaster. There will be major increases in the size and frequency of hurricanes and wildfires. There will also be the destruction of stable ecosystems and the many species that live in them. Most notable for the human population is that these temperatures will ruin much of the agriculture in developing nations. These countries will no longer be able to feed their citizens and we will see a large increase in famine. Experts expect that there will be a large migration north from the equator because it will simply be too warm in those areas for most people.

 

The Ocean

By 2100, experts believe that our oceans will rise around 1.5-2 meters. This is a massive increase in the ocean and will have major impacts on the coastal regions of the world. Places such as New York City and Miami will be underwater and this will mean the relocation of millions of people. This will also put many island nations underwater and there will be significant damage from this. Along with this increase in the sea level, the ocean will also become much more acidic due to climate change. The current estimate is that the pH will drop below 7.8 which would mean a 1.5 times increase in the acidity of the ocean. This will ruin ecosystems and cause the extinction of much wildlife. Coral reefs are already being bleached by this pH difference, and ocean life is already migrating due to temperature differences. 

 

Conclusion

 

There are still so many other things that would occur with climate change that has not been mentioned, but it is clear that there is a lot of work that needs to be done. The point of my blog is not to scare people, but to make people aware. We have done little to combat climate change and we have known about it for decades. It is time to be more proactive if we wish to not see these estimates come to fruition.