Climate Change Impact

Introduction

It is doubtless that global change has become one the challenges, which encompasses a wide range of
human life, including social and economic aspects of human life. Research has indicated that climate
change will continue affecting the world as long as proper measures are not taken to protect the
environment.

In this line of thought, human activities have been widely blamed for escalating effects of climate change
around the world (Hillel & Rosenzweig 2010). Only time will tell whether taming climate change is
possible or not.

In this regard, this assessment covers the impact of climate change in our lives today even as world
leaders burn midnight oil to develop strategies, aimed at taming the scourge. This proposal topic has an
array of benefits, especially in understanding the fatal nature of climate change.

It will mainly focus on the effects of climate change and make proposals on how to counteract the
effects of climate together some of the preventive measures being considered by international leaders.

Through literature review, this project will compare different views as argued by different authors in
order to synthesize the issue with varying viewpoints. This will be crucial in capturing the main objective
of the projects, which revolves around the analysis of the effects of climate change in the world today.

Climate change

How is climate change defined? Although different environmental experts tend to have different
definitions, the Australian Government defines climate change as the weather pattern observed for
several years. These changes are mainly caused by human activities, which negatively impact the
environment.

With reference to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report released in the year
2007, climate change is no longer a myth, but a reality, whose impact has continually escalated from
1950s, mainly due to rising levels of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

This implies that human activities have significantly contributed this environmental scourge, which
continues to affect most parts of the world. The IPCC report was a representation of the world view on
climate change, collected from various scientific journals published around the world (Australian
Government 2012).

The Australian Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency affirms that there is enough
evidence to support the fact that the climate system of the earth has continuously been warming. Some
of the observations made include the rising level of air in the world and high ocean temperatures.
Others are the rising sea level, constant melting of snow and ice in most parts of the world.

One important fact to note about climate change is that it involves the rising temperatures of the
climate system holistically, including all the oceans, atmosphere and the cryosphere. These findings
concluded that the climate system is in a heating mode.

Even as we review other people’s work, it is important to note that climate change is more than mere
global warming as perceived by most people. From scientific revelation, the climate will be varied
broadly especially if the warming continues uncontrollably (Australian Government 2012). As a result,
the world is likely to experience irregular rainfall patterns, occurrence of severe climatic events like
heavy currents and droughts among others.

Climate change impacts

The impact of climate change has been felt in every part of the world. According to United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Asia, Africa and Latin America are among the
regions of the world, which have severely been affected by the scourge. In a 2010 survey carried out by
Climate Change Secretariat, Africa is under the pressure of climate change and remains vulnerable to
these effects.

Unlike most parts of the world, Africa experiences varying climatic changes. Common occurrences in
Africa are severe droughts and floods, which have had negative implications on the continent’s economy
(UNFCCC 2010).

The two events are widely known to predispose famine and overall interference with the socio-well
being of the society. According to the UNFCCC’s analysis, close to a third of Africa’s population inhabit
drought-prone regions, while more than two million remain vulnerable to drought every year (UNFCCC
2010).
In understanding the implication of climate change in Africa, the survey found out that the issue of
climate change is intertwined with several factors, which contribute to its escalation across the
continent.

Some of these factors include poverty, weak institutions, illiteracy, lack of information and technology,
limited infrastructure, poor accessibility to resources, poor management and conflicts. In addition, there
is widespread exploitation of land, which remains a major threat to the climate.

Due to pressure on farming land, most farmers exert pressure through over-cultivation and
deforestation. In addition, other factors like dunes and storms continue posing more negative threats to
the environment and human beings (UNFCCC 2010).

As a result of these events, the continent experiences drought and overall scarcity of water. Due to this
emerging trend, Africa is likely to face shortage of rainfall and overall scarcity of water. With Africa
having several trans-boundary river basins, the continent is likely to experience conflicts over these
basins. Another important aspect captured in the report is agriculture (UNFCCC 2010).

Since most subsistence farmers in Africa depend on rainfall and irrigation, the sector has been affected
by insufficient supply in most Sub-Saharan regions. Besides this, UNFCCC notes that climate change has
resulted into loss of agricultural land and a drop in subsistence crop production. With a good percentage
of the population under the threat of starvation, climate change has undoubtedly led to escalation of
insufficient food supply.

It is amazing to note that climate change has also contributed to the spread of some diseases like
malaria, tuberculosis and diarrhea in most parts of Africa. As stated by the UNFCCC, there has been a
shift in the distribution of disease vectors.

For instance, migration of mosquitoes to regions of higher altitude is likely to expose people in such
regions to the risk of contracting malaria (UNFCCC 2010). Additionally, climate change is likely to result
into negative impact on African ecosystems and habitats, which are already threatened by these
changes. Due to reduced habitat and changing climatic conditions some species are likely to move to
more tolerable regions.

In this line of though Robert Watson, Marufu Zinyowera and Richard Moss found out that climate
change can have severe effects on human health. In research carried out in 1998, the three reiterated
that human health may be affected as a result of heat-stress mortality, urban air pollution and vector-
borne diseases, which could be favored as a result of change in temperature or rainfall in a given
ecosystem (Watson, Zinyowera & Moss 1998, p. 7).

Additionally, Watson, Zinyowera and Moss argued that these effects are commonly felt in developing
countries, where lives are lost, communities affected and the cost in medical care rises due to high
prevalence of some health complications.

With regard to the impact of climate change on biodiversity, Watson, Zinyowera and Moss, agree with
UNFCCC’s findings. In their 1998 survey, the three argued that all ecosystems play a fundamental role in
the society (Watson, Zinyowera & Moss 1998).

For instance, they are a source of goods and services to any society. In particular, these goods and
services include provision of food, processing and storage of carbon and other nutrients, assimilation of
wastes and provision of recreation and tourism opportunities among others.

As a result, they argued that climatic changes are known to alter the geographical local of various
ecological systems, including the presence of certain species and their ability to remain productive to
support the society. According to their findings, ecological systems are essentially dynamic and are
commonly affected by climatic variations of whichever magnitude.

Nevertheless, the extreme to which the climate varies determines the changes, which occur in the
ecosystem. In addition, the three authors noted the high level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was
a major contributing factor towards climate changes taking place in the world today (Watson, Zinyowera
& Moss 1998).

Besides influencing the ecosystems, Watson, Zinyowera and Moss noted that climate change may also
have secondary effects, say, variations in soil characteristics and interference of regimes. These include
diseases, pests and diseases, which are likely to support the existence of some species favorably than
others (Watson, Zinyowera & Moss 1998).

This will automatically affect the survival of some species and the overall population of organisms.
Similarly, they argued that that climate change has direct impact on food production in most parts of the
world. According to the 1998 survey, the type of agricultural systems in place determines the manner in
which crop productivity is affected by changes in climatic conditions and patterns.
Like many other scholars, Barrie Pittock spent his life studying the environment and how it is affected by
changes in climate. In his 2009, survey, Climate Change: The Science, Impacts and Solutions, Pittock
outlined several reasons why there is cause for alarm, regarding climate change in the world today.

According to Pittock, the UNFCCC seeks to reduce the impact of climate change by being on the frontline
in the war against global warming (Pittock 2009, p. 107). He further noted that human-induced climate
change is a major security threat in the world today. This stance is mainly backed by the well-known
effects of climate change described by the UNFCCC and the IPCC.

Moreover, Pittock reiterated that climate change has complex effects in the world today, citing a
number of examples. In cases where there is high rainfall resulting from climate change, the world may
experience direct or indirect implications.

This could be seen through high or low crop yield, depending on the type of soil or crop. On the other
hand, indirect effects may refer to changes in demand and supply, emanating from either low or high
yield, depending on other factors. He therefore agreed with several authors and researchers who have
enumerated implications of climate change on the environment and human life at large.

For example, Pittock noted that climate change has been a major cause of water shortages in most parts
of the world (Pittock 2009, p. 108). He however attributed this to a number of factors, including
precipitation decrease in some regions, high rates of evaporation in the world and general loss of
glaciers.

Economically, Pittock noted that climate change affects the economic progress of a nation since
resources may be diverted to disease control instead of advancing developing projects.

Moreover, it is important to note that most of the countries, which suffer severely as a result of climate
change, are poor nations that lack stable economic muscles. As a result, there is a likelihood of richer
countries becoming stronger as developing economies weaken further. Lastly, Pittock noted that some
of the threats emanating from climate change cause irreversible damages, which end up haunting
human beings forever (Pittock 2009, p. 109).

With reference to a number of scholars who have done research on the impact of climate change, it is
evident that human activities have a role in the escalation of these effects. In his 2010 survey, Martin
Kernan noted that there is a relation between human activities and global warming.
As a result of this global relationship, the world has registered an increase in the concentration of
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. In this survey, he noted that the increase in greenhouse gases is
rampant in the northern hemisphere than any other part of the world.

As a result of high temperatures, Martin underscores that the changes have impact on the composition
of natural ecosystems, regarding species population and their ability to survive (Kernan 2010, p. 15).
What is most evident in Martin’s research is his comparison of the current state of the climate, to what
was known hundreds of years ago.

Climate change also affects the quality of water in the United States. According to research carried out
by Robert Mendelsohn and James Neumann, water plays an important role in the life of a human being.
Some of these functions include but not limited to power generation, food production, recreation and
ecological processes (Mendelsohn & Mendelsohn 2004, p. 133).

However, this is only possible if the water is available and of good quality. Thus, changes in spatial
distribution and quality can have direct social and economic effects on the society.

This alteration may occur as a result of increased concentration in greenhouse gases. Climate change
can be detected by observing variation in temperatures, frequent and intense droughts and altered
precipitation patterns among other factors (Mendelsohn & Mendelsohn 2004, p. 133).

The findings on the impact of climate change on the quality of water have also been pursued by Jan
Dam, who argued that natural systems are usually sensitive to changes in climate variation. Hydrological
quality is mainly affected by the temperature or concentration of water (Dam 2003, p. 95).

When oceans and other water bodies overheat because of high temperatures, this may result into
negative impact on aquatic animals, which adapt to certain hydrological temperatures. Similarly, the
quality of water is always altered when gases like carbon dioxide are dissolved in water basins. This may
affect the mix of species present in a given ecosystem.

Managing climate change

Based on the impact of climate change, it is doubtless that management of the risks has to be effected
promptly before they become fatal and irreversible. One of the ways of controlling climate change is
through reduction of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
This can be achieved through several ways, which minimize the emission of carbon dioxide into the
atmosphere (McCarthy 2001, p. 222). According to James McCarthy, this can be realized by adopting
alternative sources of energy unlike how most economies rely of oil and petroleum products as the main
source of energy. Additionally, good methods of farming are important to maintain the value of the
environment for sustainable support.

Use of international legislations is also necessary in ensuring that rich countries do not exploit
developing nations as they are major contributors of effluents into the atmosphere (Hillel & Rosenzweig
2010). Above all, the fight against climate change calls for environmental campaign, which requires the
efforts of everybody in the world.

Conclusion

From the above review of literature, it is clear that climate change is a major socio and environmental
issue affecting the world today. Mainly caused by human activities, climate change poses a chain of
challenges and threats to the environment.

For instance, there are several diseases, which affect human beings as a result of climate change
(Rosenberg & Edmonds 2005). Of importance is also the alteration of the quality of the natural
environment, which affects biodiversity. This has led to the extinction of some species, while others
have increased exponentially in numbers.

Moreover, it is imperative to note that some of the occurrences, which are considered to be natural, are
caused by climate change. Common ones include floods and draughts (Faure, Gupta & Nentjes 2003, p.
340).

Most of these calamities continue to be recognized as natural disasters yet they can be controlled using
simple mitigation measures. In most cases, adoption of renewable sources of energy has always been
considered to be the most important way of saving the world from climate change. Although it is a
complex issue to handle, joint global efforts are important in making progress.

References

Australian Government 2012, Impacts of climate change.

Dam, J 2003, Impacts of Climate Change and Climate Variability on Hydrological Regimes, Cambridge
University Press, Cambridge, England.
Faure, M, Gupta, J & Nentjes, A 2003, Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol: The Role of Institutions
and Instruments to Control Global Change, Edward Elgar Publishing, United Kingdom.

Hillel, D & Rosenzweig, C 2010, Handbook of Climate Change and Agroecosystems: Impacts, Adaptation,
and Mitigation, World Scientific, Singapore.

Kernan, M 2010, Climate Change Impacts on Freshwater Ecosystems, John Wiley & Sons, New Jersey.

Mendelsohn, R & Neumann, J 2004, The Impact Of Climate Change On The United States Economy,
Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England.

Pittock, B 2009, Climate Change: The Science, Impacts and Solutions, Csiro Publishing, Sydney.

Rosenberg, N, & Edmonds, J 2005, Climate Change Impacts for the Conterminous USA: An Integrated
Assessment, Springer, New York.

UNFCCC 2010, Climate Change: Impacts, Vulnerabilities and Adaptation In Developing Countries.

Watson, R, Zinyowera, M & Moss, R 1998, The Regional Impacts of Climate Change: An Assessment of
Vulnerability, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England.