How Climate Change Effects Multiple Areas of the World

Climate change is a phenomena creating a lasting impact on a multitude of areas within the world. “Understanding the science, economics, and policy aspects of global warming has proven one of the most exciting and challenging tasks facing the natural and social sciences…” (Nordhaus 1). The natural science behind climate change is broken down into three parts: environment, wildlife and weather. These three factors affect each other through the medium of climate change. A fourth factor, economic impact, is covered through the social sciences. These four factors are by no means isolated from each other. Climate change effects them all on different levels and in turn these factors influence each other creating multifaceted, globalized changes.

When studying climate change the effects on the environment are the foundation of changes for alterations within wildlife, weather and economics. The factor of environmental variations is well grounded in the idea of climate change, largely due to the predictable merit presented by scientists. “Effects that scientists had predicted in the past would result from global climate change are now occurring loss of sea ice, accelerated sea level rise and longer, more intense heat waves” (Jenkins, par 2). What makes climate change hard to generalize in terms of environment are the multiple regions of the world affected in different ways. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), different continents will undergo different environmental changes in the coming years.

North America is likely to experience a decrease of snow on mountain tops, an increase of agricultural yields due to abundant rainfall and an increased level of heat intensity for areas already accustomed to hotter temperatures. Latin America can expect to lose significant amounts of forests in exchange for savannah, experience the loss of a number of species and be faced with a dwindling water supply. Europe is expected to undergo immense flooding, particularly on the coast coupled with a loss of glaciation and agricultural capabilities. Africa and Asia are the environments most likely to be devastated through climate change in terms of water loss. “By 2020, between 75 and 250 million people are projected to be exposed to increased water stress…freshwater availability projected to decrease in Central, South, East and Southeast Asia by the 2050s…” (Jenkins, par 7). The changes occurring within the different environments inevitably impact numerous species of wildlife.

One category of wildlife most impacted by climate change are ocean dwelling animals. Two prime example species are polar bears and sea turtles. Polar bears have become the species of focus regarding the increasing intensity of climate change. The changes are devastating for the polar bear population due to their reliance on sea ice.

Polar bears are often described as completely dependent on the ice for their survival…polar bears are unlikely to survive the complete loss of summer sea-ice cover. A 2007 report from the U.S. Geological Service estimated that as a result of sea-ice decline, today’s population of about 22,000 polar bears would decrease by two-thirds by the year 2050, even with moderate projections for future climate change. ("Climate Change Effects on Ocean Animals," par 5). The level of impact for wildlife species is largely contingent upon how climate change influences the crucial aspects of their environment. Polar bears are an example of the sensitivity that exists within certain species.

Sea turtles are an example of a species less severely impacted by climate change. The effects surrounding sea turtles are largely reproductive. Increased sea levels have impacted nesting sites due to beaches commonly resting on low-level surfaces. Rising temperatures affect the ability of eggs to be incubated by female turtles and an increase of temperature appears to be creating an imbalance of increased numbers of female turtles and decreased numbers of male turtles ("Climate Change Effects on Ocean Animals," par 9). While these changes are notable, sea turtles have survived and thrived throughout their 100 million plus year existence, adapting to severe environmental changes. Another factor influencing wildlife and their respective environments is weather.

Weather patterns occurring in the north Atlantic regions of the world contain very useful examples for the study of climate change. When studying weather, the consideration of natural (weather variations not related to climate change) is paramount. “…one has to be careful in arguing that climate change is responsible for weather extremes. At the moment, especially for individual extreme weather events, scientists can only suggest that climate change may have increased the likelihood or chance of that weather event occurring…” (O'Hare 137). In other words, weather is largely unpredictable and variable. The ability to link climate change to weather involves careful observation of weather patterns over a large span of time. Russia’s weather has been marked as a country of great interest due to the extreme heat wave occurrence in 2010. “The summer of 2010 saw the most extreme summer heat wave in Russian history…over 7oC beyond the norm for several weeks across large parts of the region” (O’Hare 137-138). While the isolated yet extreme weather alteration in Russia is not enough to attribute the occurrence to climate change, the 2010 heat wave serves as an example to encourage further study on how climate change effects weather patterns. While weather is harder to link with climate change, the economic connection to is noticeable due to the international construction of policies.

The economics of climate change began to gain attention about 30 years ago and was the last of the four factors effected by climate change to be investigated thoroughly. “Although economics was a late entrant into the research process, today there are dozens of individual researchers or teams in all major industrialized countries…” (Nordhaus 5). Economics, like the factors of environment, wildlife and weather is an international consideration. When investigating how climate change impacts the international economy it is important to remember the international component of all countries playing a role in shaping the economy around changes in climate. In the late 1990s, the IPCC corralled the participation of several countries around the world to begin the construction of economic policies geared towards cooperation with climate change. The IPCC was able to produce several volumes of papers discussing economic costs surrounding changes in policies to reduce the velocity of climate change as well as the cost-benefit to these policies (Nordhaus 9). The future of economic vitality related to climate change is largely contingent upon international cooperation and further research on the dynamics of this relationship.

Climate change is an increasing sensation impacting several different globalize dimensions. The factors of environment, wildlife, weather and economics, while separate areas of study, are noticeably connected through the occurrence of climate change. For future research it is pivotal to study climate change with respect to all of these factors as well as the links among them. Climate change, while being a topic of contention, is leaving lasting impacts on the environment, wildlife, weather and the shaping of globalized economic policies.

Works Cited

"Climate Change Effects on Ocean Animals." New England Aquarium: Protecting the Blue Planet. New England Aquarium, n.d.

Jenkins, Amber. "The Current and Future Consequences of Global Change." Global Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet. NASA, n.d..

Nordhaus, William D. Economics and Policy Issues in Climate Change. Washington: RFF, 1998.

O'Hare, Greg. "The Weather in the North Atlantic Region: Links between Weather's Natural Variability and Climate Change." Geography 98.3 (2013): 133-43. Academic Search Premier.