What Impacts Will Global Warming Have?
Global Warming’s impacts are already visible around the world. There has already been an increase in global average surface temperature of 1°F in the 20th century with significant melting of glaciers, thawing of permafrost, and changes in plant and animal ranges.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Third Assessment Report projects that there will be an additional increase in the Earth's average surface temperature of between 2.5° and 10.4°F (1.4°-5.8°C) between 1990 and 2100 if no major efforts are undertaken to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases. This seemingly small increase will likely have dramatic global effects.
Among the projected impacts are:
• a rise in sea level between 3.5 and 34.6 in. (9–88 cm),
leading to more coastal erosion and flooding
• greater threats to human health as mosquitoes and other
disease-carrying insects and rodents spread diseases over larger geographical regions
• disruption of agriculture in some parts of the world due to increased temperature, water stress, and sea-level rise in low-lying areas such as Bangladesh or the Mississippi River delta.
What Impacts Will Global Warming Have In Florida
In Florida, we are particularly vulnerable given our low elevation and concentrated population along the coasts. The impacts of sea level rise and increased storm intensity and flooding will be particularly damaging to barrier islands and to the Everglades, perhaps undoing the multi-billion-dollar restoration effort currently being implemented. The agriculture, tourism, and housing industries will be affected, significantly impacting the state’s economy.
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What Can Be Done to Stop Global Warming?
In order to stop global warming, the global community must reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. Governments, businesses, and individuals can all contribute to this goal. Given the scale of the problem, government action will be critical to reversing the trend of increasing global warming pollution. Federal, state, and local governments all have a role in implementing appropriate policies.
The federal government could join the international community in implementing caps on greenhouse gas emissions, increasing energy efficiency and fuel economy standards, encouraging the use of renewable energy, and eliminating subsidies on fossil fuel-based energy.
State and local governments can provide incentives to businesses and individuals to increase their sustainability; institute policies on zoning, building codes, and community design; and set an example by reducing their own emissions profile. Individual action is essential in pressuring governments to institute the changes above and in beginning to shift corporate patterns by demanding climate-friendly products.
For more information on what you can do, see the
Take Action page of this website.
More detail on this information is available from the sources referenced on the
Publications and Resources page of this website.
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