When most people think about environmental issues facing the Earth, one of the first things that comes to mind is global warming. Global warming is exactly what it sounds like, an increase in the air, land, and water temperature of the planet. This is caused by the greenhouse effect, which is a result of increased levels of carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and other pollutants in the atmosphere. Due to this, the global temperature of the Earth has risen about 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit since 1880. Although this amount sounds incredibly small, two-thirds of this warming has occurred since 1975, which still may not seem like a lot. However, look at this graph of global temperature over the past thousand years.
Fig. 1. Skeptical Science. Global Temperature.
When viewing this, it can easily be seen that our current situation is an anomaly. Global temperatures have never spiked this high in the modern era, and unfortunately this may be a sign of things to come. Scientists estimate that if global warming continues to occur at its current rate, the Earth’s temperature will increase another 8 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100. Remember, a 1.4-degree jump is considered a lot, so 8 degrees would be no less than catastrophic.
Although many effects of climate change will not be seen until the future, we in the United States been exposed to quite a few already, such as more frequent extreme weather. From hurricanes constantly battering our coastal regions to horrific wildfires and mudslides ravaging California, severe weather has reared its ugly head increasingly more in recent years. Hard evidence of this can be seen through the monumental expenses these events have caused. In the years from 1980 through 2015, natural disasters and other weather-related events cost the United States an average of $5.2 billion dollars in losses annually (adjusted for inflation). However, if you single out 2011 through 2015, you can see that the average cost jumps to $10.8 billion dollars per year, more than twice the previous amount.
Another potentially terrible effect of global warming is higher sea levels. This is in part due to the rapid melting of the polar ice caps. Interestingly, temperatures at the North and South Pole are rising twice as fast as in other parts of the world, causing glaciers to disappear at breakneck speeds. In fact, Glacier National Park in Montana, created by President Taft in 1910, was once home to around 150 glaciers. However, that number has dropped to less than 30, with the surviving glaciers having two-thirds fewer area than they once did. David Fagre, a research scientist from the U.S. Geological Survey Global Change Research Program, says, “Things that normally happen in geologic time are happening during the span of a human lifetime, it’s like watching the Statue of Liberty melt.” At this rate, most, if not all, of these glaciers will be gone within the next 30 years, a foreboding sign for ice caps in other parts of the world as well.
Fig. 2. Staehli, Bernhard. Melting Ice Caps.
However, the expansion of warming ocean water will have an even larger effect on rising sea levels than melting glaciers. As the temperature of seawater continues to increase, the molecules of said water get excited and spread apart, causing the water to expand and take up more space. This effect will only get more pronounced in the future, and scientists are worried about its possibly destructive effects.
With glaciers melting at an unmatched pace, accompanied by the expansion of warming ocean waters, it is predicted that global sea levels will rise by one to four feet by the year 2100. Once again, this number seems minimal, until you realize that most of the world’s biggest cities were constructed right at sea level. This rise would leave parts of New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Mumbai, Sydney, and Rio de Janeiro all underwater, possibly within our lifetimes.
Amazingly, with all the evidence that humans are causing climate change, a large number of Americans still continue to deny our harmful impact. Currently, 97% of climate scientists agree that human activity is the main cause of global warming. However, only 6 in 10 regular Americans see humans as the problem, and as many as 30% of us deny that climate change is happening at all. These statistics could be problematic in the future, especially considering that the United States just pulled out of the Paris Climate Accord. If we are to confront global warming head on, it will begin with convincing our own citizens that we are the ones responsible for it. Only then can we make strides toward reducing our massive carbon footprint.
This is where it falls on us. Our constant use of gas-guzzling cars, unnecessary aerosols, and other destructive devices has led us to the predicament we’re currently in. However, I believe that it’s not too late to reverse the drastic effects of climate change. It will take a big commitment from world leaders, local government officials, and all of us, but it’s something we must do if we want to stay out of hot water, quite literally.