Climate Change : It is real.
The Earth has been around for a 4.5 billion years now and throughout it's existence, our planet has witnessed changing climatic conditions from a ball of fire to even ice ages. But never has ever the earth experienced what we are witnessing first hand, which I like to call human induced climate change. Even after the gruesome act of humanised environmental destruction, there are some of us who dismiss the gravity of climate change as something unreal and nonexistent. So, I would really like to bring them closer to reality before it hits them in the face hard.
The natural changes in the earth's climatic cycles have occurred due to certain variations in the earth's orbit, altering the solar flux. But if we look at the past few trends of climate change, the deviations in the climate patterns have been largely associated with the exponential growth of Carbon Dioxide emissions, accelerating the Greenhouse Effect.
![This graph, based on the comparison of atmospheric samples contained in ice cores and more recent direct measurements, provides evidence that atmospheric CO2 has increased since the Industrial Revolution. (Source: [[LINK||http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/icecore/||NOAA]])](https://climate.nasa.gov/system/content_pages/main_images/203_co2-graph-021116.jpeg)
source: https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/
Ancient and scientific evidence reveals that the current warming trends are roughly ten times faster than the ice age recovery period. Well if that is not enough to make people realise the effects climate change can have on us and our future generations, then nothing is.
Most of the warming has been seen in the past 35 years with 16 of the 17 years after 2001 being the warmest years on record; 2016 being the warmest year on record.
Increased rate of melting of our ice sheets has disrupted the patterns of precipitation and has directly influenced sea water level. The melting ice caps have entered the oceans making sea level rise by about 8 inches in the last century. The rising sea water levels poses a great threat to low lying countries like Maldives and Bangladesh.
Maldives is a South East Asian island country with an average altitude of about 4 feet above sea level. The highest point in Maldives lies at 8 feet above sea level. The extent of the danger of this situation can be estimated by the fact that the former president of the country famous for it coral beaches, advised its citizens in 2008 to buy lands elsewhere to relocate population should sea levels rise and submerge their homes, making the islands inhabitable. The problem is so grave that it involves relocating a whole country. However the new president, Abdulla Yameen is focussing on geoengineering projects to build new habitable islands in Maldives for people to survive on.
A City of Hope is being build on an artificial island Hulhumale near the capital city of Male by pumping sand from neighbouring atolls and depositing it on shallow reefs that surround the original lagoon. The construction will be finished by 2023 and is estimated to accommodate 130,000 people.
Bangladesh also suffers a similar fate. Being one of the most densely populated countries, there are regions in the southern plains of the country which lie below sea level causing regular flooding of coastal regions.
Aligning with current trends of climate change, the sea level will rise by 1-6 feet by the end of this century, putting these countries to risk
1. In 1910, the Glacier National Park was home to about 150 glaciers which has now shrunk to 25 as of December 2016. It is expected to lose all its glaciers eventually.
2. The current climate change trends put about 25 percent of animal and plant species to an increased risk of extinction.
3. The United States is the second largest contributor to to CO2 in our atmosphere but is home to only 4.4% of the world population. If everyone in the world lived like the people of United States do, it would require 4 earths to suit their needs.
4. Economic losses of about $180 billion are estimated to occur if the USA doesn't take any action against climate change.
With fast approaching hotter days, flooded coastlines and melted ice caps, it is evident that climate change is real and is coming for us. We stand responsible for this climate change which has been forced upon this planet and we also stand responsible to curb this menace before it gets out of hand. We on the Earth can be compared to Westerosi people where Summer is Coming and the White Walkers have the power of nature with them this time.
The natural changes in the earth's climatic cycles have occurred due to certain variations in the earth's orbit, altering the solar flux. But if we look at the past few trends of climate change, the deviations in the climate patterns have been largely associated with the exponential growth of Carbon Dioxide emissions, accelerating the Greenhouse Effect.
source: https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/
Ancient and scientific evidence reveals that the current warming trends are roughly ten times faster than the ice age recovery period. Well if that is not enough to make people realise the effects climate change can have on us and our future generations, then nothing is.
Global Temperature Rise
The average temperature of the earth has increased by about 2 degrees celsius since late 19th century.Most of the warming has been seen in the past 35 years with 16 of the 17 years after 2001 being the warmest years on record; 2016 being the warmest year on record.
Shrinking Ice Sheets
Increase in temperatures is bound to melt ice at a faster rate which has made our ice sheets succumb to this human induced warming. Data from NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment shows that Greenland lost about 150 to 250 cubic kilometers of ice between 2000 and 2006 whilst Antarctica lost about 152 cubic kilometers of ice between 2000 and 2005.h
Rise in Sea Water Levels
Increased rate of melting of our ice sheets has disrupted the patterns of precipitation and has directly influenced sea water level. The melting ice caps have entered the oceans making sea level rise by about 8 inches in the last century. The rising sea water levels poses a great threat to low lying countries like Maldives and Bangladesh.Submerging Country
Maldives is a South East Asian island country with an average altitude of about 4 feet above sea level. The highest point in Maldives lies at 8 feet above sea level. The extent of the danger of this situation can be estimated by the fact that the former president of the country famous for it coral beaches, advised its citizens in 2008 to buy lands elsewhere to relocate population should sea levels rise and submerge their homes, making the islands inhabitable. The problem is so grave that it involves relocating a whole country. However the new president, Abdulla Yameen is focussing on geoengineering projects to build new habitable islands in Maldives for people to survive on.A City of Hope is being build on an artificial island Hulhumale near the capital city of Male by pumping sand from neighbouring atolls and depositing it on shallow reefs that surround the original lagoon. The construction will be finished by 2023 and is estimated to accommodate 130,000 people.
Bangladesh also suffers a similar fate. Being one of the most densely populated countries, there are regions in the southern plains of the country which lie below sea level causing regular flooding of coastal regions.
Aligning with current trends of climate change, the sea level will rise by 1-6 feet by the end of this century, putting these countries to risk
Climate Change Facts
1. In 1910, the Glacier National Park was home to about 150 glaciers which has now shrunk to 25 as of December 2016. It is expected to lose all its glaciers eventually.2. The current climate change trends put about 25 percent of animal and plant species to an increased risk of extinction.
3. The United States is the second largest contributor to to CO2 in our atmosphere but is home to only 4.4% of the world population. If everyone in the world lived like the people of United States do, it would require 4 earths to suit their needs.
4. Economic losses of about $180 billion are estimated to occur if the USA doesn't take any action against climate change.
With fast approaching hotter days, flooded coastlines and melted ice caps, it is evident that climate change is real and is coming for us. We stand responsible for this climate change which has been forced upon this planet and we also stand responsible to curb this menace before it gets out of hand. We on the Earth can be compared to Westerosi people where Summer is Coming and the White Walkers have the power of nature with them this time.
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