Even with the still somewhat mild warming that has been experienced to date, the impacts of climate change on the oceans are becoming clear.
Sea levels are rising as global temperatures climb, glaciers and land ice melt, and the thermal expansion of the oceans takes effect.
Huge quantities of greenhouse gases are being released as a result of widespread deforestation and the melting of the permafrost.
A wide range of ecosystems – including glaciers, coral reefs, mangrove forests, polar regions, tropical rainforests, wetlands, and grasslands – are now facing a grave threat to their very existence.
Biodiversity is declining steeply, and a huge number of land- and water-based species are at an escalating risk of going extinct.
Heatwaves, droughts, storms, floods, and other extreme weather events are increasing in frequency.
Regional effects are amplifying in intensity, and so for example in Europe, we are seeing greater evidence of fluvial flooding alongside a dramatic increase in coastal erosion.
The most severe impacts of climate change are likely to be seen in poorer countries, especially in developing nations in Africa, Asia and the Pacific.
Whatever level of climate change we see in the future, this is certain to drag on growth in developing countries.
The Greenland and Antarctic icesheets are melting, and if the release of greenhouse gases is not addressed, sea levels may rise by up to seven meters.
The release of vast quantities of oceanic methane will increase atmospheric concentrations of this potent greenhouse gas, adding substantially to the risk of catastrophic climate change.
Widespread extinctions may be seen in the oceans as a result of changing temperatures that may then affect where species live and how much food they have access to.
The release of methane from the enormous quantities that are currently locked up in the world’s oceans has the potential to substantially accelerate global warming.
🌐 Let’s Sea believes that over the long term, if climate change is not dealt with, it has the potential to wreak havoc on our world. Altering the course that we are on begins with learning about the environmental challenges that confront us and adapting our behavior accordingly.
Source : Greenpeace’s summary of the IPCC’s Third Assessment Report, available from https://www.greenpeace.org/thailand/explore/protect/climate/impacts/
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