Global Warming: Fallout of Human Impact

Greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, and N2O) that trigger global warming are spewed into the atmosphere by agricultural lands, fossil fuel and wood burning, and livestocks like cows (methane produced by bacteria in their guts).

It has been concluded that global mean temperature of the planet is likely to rise in the range of 1.4 to 5.8° C by 2100, in relation to 1990. Such rise in temperature can have devastating effects. The ice sheet covering Greenland is most vulnerable to climate warming and any warming above 2-5° C would make this gigantic ice sheet disappear. An 8° C warming would cause 6-metre rise in a few hundred years. Given such increase, West Antarctic ice sheet could disappear in 600 years.

Major changes will be brought about in water distribution. Water streams located in high latitudes and South-east Asia will increase while; it will decrease in Central Asia, Southern Africa, Australia, Mediterranean. Small glaciers will disappear while most glaciers will shrink.

Monsoons will become more intense causing flooding. In the coastal areas, flooding will increase and land erosion will accelerate. Seawater will contaminate fresh water. Coral reefs will be affected. Coral reefs, which make up small areas of the oceans, contain 25 per cent of fish species. An increase of 1º C. in water temperature will destroy an entire reef and the fish therein.