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-Pollutants -API -Photochemical
Smog -Acid Rain -Global warming -Measures |
What is the effect of global
warming?
Health Extremely hot temperatures increase the number of people who die on a given day for many reasons: People with heart problems are vulnerable because one's cardiovascular system must work harder to keep the body cool during hot weather. Higher air temperature also increases the concentration of ozone at ground level. The natural layer of ozone in the upper atmosphere blocks harmful ultraviolet radiation from reaching the Earth's surface; but in the lower atmosphere, ozone is a harmful pollutant. Ozone damages lung tissue, and causes particular problems for people with asthma and other lung diseases. Even modest exposure to ozone can cause healthy individuals to experience chest pains, nausea and pulmonary congestion. Diseases that are spread by mosquitoes and other insects could become more prevalent if warmer temperatures enabled those insects to reproduce in a faster rate. Water Resources Some areas may experience both increased flooding during winter and spring, as well as lower supplies during summer. In California's Central Valley, for example, melting snow provides much of the summer water supply; warmer temperatures would cause the snow to melt earlier and thus reduce summer supplies even if rainfall increased during the spring. Navigation Climate change could impair navigation by changing average water levels in rivers and lakes, increasing the frequency of both floods during which navigation is hazardous and droughts during which passage is difficult, and necessitating changes in navigational infrastructure. On the other hand, warmer temperatures could extend the ice-free season.
Hydropower Changes in the flows of rivers would have a direct impact on the amount of hydropower generated, because hydropower production decreases with lower flows. Water Supply and Demand The potential changes in water supplies would result directly from the changes in runoff and the levels of rivers, lakes and aquifers. Recreation and Environmental Quality Decreased river flows and higher temperatures could harm the water quality of rivers, bays and lakes. In areas where river flows decrease, pollution concentrations will rise because there will be less water to dilute the pollutants.
Forest and Agriculture On the positive side, carbon dioxide has a beneficial fertilization effect on plants, and also enables plants to use water more efficiently. These effects might enable some species to resist the adverse effects of warmer temperatures or drier soils. Furthermore, in colder areas, warmer temperature would lengthen the growing season. On the negative side, forest fires are likely to become more frequent and severe if soils become drier. Changes in pest populations could further increase the stress on forests. Coastal Zones Sea level is rising rapidly, it is estimated that a 30 cm rise in sea level is likely by 2050 and could occur as soon as 2025. Coastal marshes and swamps are particularly vulnerable to rising sea level because they are mostly within a few feet of sea level. As the sea rises, the outer boundary of these wetlands will erode, birds and fish living in the area will be in danger. Fisheries Global warming could have many impacts on fish and other aquatic species. Some areas of water may become too warm for the fish that currently inhabit in those areas. Global warming may also change the chemical composition of the water that fish inhabit: the amount of oxygen in the water may decline, while pollution and salinity levels may increase. Loss of wetlands could diminish habitat and alter the availability of food for some fish species. |
