Essay on Impact of Climate Changes on Human Beings

Running Head: IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
1
Impacts of climate change
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IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE 2
climate change is mostly used to describe any statistical significant alteration or
systematic variation in any mean state of climate factors including temperature, precipitation,
pressure, or winds, or its variability that occurs over a long period. climate change can also be
described as long term variation in earth's weather patterns, mostly connected to precipitation,
storm activities, and an increase in temperature. According to Rychetnik et al., (2019), climate
change is greatly impacted by human activities and it has a significant threat to the global
ecosystem. This paper will explore the impacts of climate change on the human environment and
global ecosystems.
In the previous century, sea level rose from 10-20cm. The main cause of this rise is the
thermal expansion of the warm seawater and the melting of the glacier. As the oceans continue to
get warmer, it is forecasted that the sea level will continue to rise. The models of climate change
have estimated an 85cm increase in sea level by the end of the 21st century. An increase in sea
level is causing the submission of mangroves and coastal areas in some regions like southern
Florida. Muthee et al., (2017) show that approximately 400,000 acres have submitted to
seawater in Louisiana wetlands in the 20th century.
An increase in sea levels may also result in a saltwater intrusion in aquifers in coastal
regions. coastal aquifers and shallow islands are most vulnerable to rising sea levels. The rise in
sea levels has also impacted on the extinction of some tree species in southern Florida and
Louisiana. This is because of the intrusion of saltwater on freshwater that is vital from the
survival of these species.
Moreover, the rise in sea level also results in alteration of coastal patterns, an increase in pressure
in the coastal systems, destruction of resources in low areas, and changes in the distribution of
salinity in estuaries. Masud et al., (2017) show that the Gulf and Atlantic coastal region is

IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE 3
susceptible to long term rise in sea levels, coupled increase in storm surges, and the frequency of
hurricanes. The sea-level rise has also increased the erosion events in these areas. The slopes of
these areas are very gentle and susceptible such that a small variation in sea level may cause a
considerable impact on the shore shifts. This pauses a great danger in transportation, coastal
development, fisheries, infrastructure, and freshwater aquifers. Furthermore, an increase in
precipitation periods could result to increase in the variety of municipal and agricultural
pollutants being carried by estuaries, lakes, streams, sea-level rise, and rivers and would cause
intrusion of saltwater into estuaries, coastal aquifers, and rivers.
According to Vincent et al., (2019), climate change has led to an increase in temperature.
An increase in temperature results in hyperthermia, heat exhaustion, dehydration, and
hyperthermia. The extreme cases of the above complications can lead to loss of lives especially
to people with pre-existing body conditions. Warm temperatures increase the spread of vector-
borne diseases which are carried by rodents, fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes among others. Warm
temperatures may also spread the reproduction rate of these species, pausing a serious threat to
the human population.
Climate change has a great influence on freshwater ecosystems. This has a great effect on
the quality, form, distribution, and availability of freshwater. In some areas area where
precipitation and runoff increase, folding may affect the function and structure of aquatic
systems, increasing water pollution, especially in regions where the human activities may have
changed the natural landscape. According to Masud et al., (2017), the consequences of climate
change on freshwater may affect international relations, mostly in the country or continental
borders, where the shared aquatic regions can cause geographic, and international and local
political disputes. The consequences of climate change on aquatic assets will have diverse