People living in coastal areas are suffering from floods, while more people in cities are experiencing health problems from air pollution.
We can be so caught up with our own problems that we may not realise millions of lives around the world are affected due to the same reason - climate change.
Climate change is the greatest environmental issue that people worldwide face today.
Have you noticed that the weather is hotter than usual? Or more storms? These are clear signs that our earth is becoming uninhabitable.
Whether you like it or not, you and your loved ones will be severely impacted by climate change if nothing is done about it.
Here are some ways climate change is already affecting nature, wildlife and people around the world.
The effects of climate change
Melting Polar Ice Caps
One of the biggest indicators of global warming is the rapid loss of Arctic ice.
The ice sheets and glaciers reflects 95% of sunlight.
With less ice, Earth absorbs more heat, increasing the global temperature.
The image seems to show dogs walking on water, but is actually the devastating consequences of melting ice as a result of higher temperatures in Greenland.
Global warming is causing ice at the poles to melt at an exceeding speed.
Just last week (6 June, 2019), 2 gigatons of ice melted in Greenland. This means 40% of Greenland is gone in just a day!
The decrease of ice causes polar bears, seals, foxes and many other animals to lose their habitats.
It also makes it more challenging for them to find food.
Indigenous people in Greenland used to rely on ice for transport, hunting and fishing.
However, their lives are greatly affected by the melting of ice.
The consequences does not remain in Greenland but extends all over the world.
The melting of ice caps leads to sea level rise, driving millions of people living in coastal areas out of their homes.
Which brings us to the next point.
Rising Sea Levels
Communities in Pacific and Oceania islands and coastal areas that experience floods frequently are already being forced to migrate.
Recent research shows that sea levels could rise by as much as 6.5 feet by 2100, destroying crops and displacing more than 200 million people.
The abrupt increase of global temperature caused by greenhouse gases gas emissions combined with the melting ice caps in Greenland and Antarctica could result in a land loss of 1.79 million square kilometers.
Climate change threatens coastal areas all around the world with sea level rise, extreme storms and acidic oceans.
The photograph shows villagers on a man made island in southwest Bangladesh with an unpredictable future.
Bangladesh is a riverine country that has overcome flooding, tropical storms and other natural disasters.
However, climate change comes with fierce floods and stronger storms, causing permanent damage to infrastructure.
Today, the flooding brings loss of agricultural soil and lucrative maritime trade routes.
Each year, an area larger than Manhattan is swallowed by the sea.
Fortunately, Emirate Friendship Hospital came up with an innovative way to help flood victims who are still living in isolated parts of Bangladesh.
Thousands of people are forced to migrate to urban slums due to flooding, crop failures, erosion, that make life at the coast unbearable.
If nothing is done to combat climate change, 13.3 million Bangladeshis will be displaced by 2050.
Air Pollution
Are you having watery eyes or difficulty breathing? You may not realise it, but these are common reactions to air pollution.
As the weather becomes hotter, our factories and cars continue to release dirty emissions. The air we breathe is becoming more polluted.
In fact, 92% of people worldwide live in areas with dangerous levels of air pollution.
Though it is not visible, nine out of ten people breathe in this deadly air, killing 7 million people each year.
People who breathe in polluted air are more at risk of stroke, lung cancer and heart disease.
Air pollution has the power to damage your health before you’re even born!
Living in a harmful environment during pregnancy leads to miscarriages, autism spectrum disorder and asthma in children.
Those who are exposed to high levels of air pollution are more likely to have short-term respiratory infections.
Today, China cities are one of the most polluted in the world.
As the urbanisation continues to grow, more coal is burned, causing high pollution levels.
The photograph shows people travelling among the dense smog In Xingtai, China.
This deadly pollution that they breathe daily causes an average of 1.1 million premature deaths each year.
Drought
Droughts have a detrimental impact on agriculture and water supply.
Since 40% of people in the world rely on agriculture to make a living, there is no doubt that many lives are at risk.
In large parts of India, farmers are already suffering from the worst drought in decades.
The lack of water supply and crops forces many to migrate to the cities, only to find life is not any better there.
The rise of global temperature is likely to cause more drought over the next half century.
If nothing is done to combat climate change, billions of lives will face serious consequences.
Severe droughts threaten water supply, putting crops and animals at risk. This means we will have to pay more for food as they become scarce.
In fact, wheat prices have already increased by 20% in Europe and the United States due to severe drought in 2018. The shortage of food in addition to hotter weather will have a serious impact on our physical and mental health.
Climate change is already gravely affecting people worldwide. However, it is not too late to make a difference for a better future.
Earth is our home. We need to care enough to embrace new practices and values so that future generations can live well.
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