Brian Colombana shares recently, people worldwide, especially in America, have been showing their concerns over the growing threat of climate change that impacts their communities and lives in many ways. While the pandemic is still there, as much as 60% of Americans feel that global warming is still the primary concern as it threatens their and their country’s well-being beyond measures. Here are a few insights into what leads to such perceptions or observations.
Rising oceanic temperature
The oceans play an essential role in regulating Earth’s climate, drawing in greenhouse gas emissions. But this excess release of harmful gases also causes the oceans to become saturated with carbon dioxide, known as ocean acidification. Rising ocean temperatures lead to the disappearance of polar ice, which affects water currents and fish migrations. As the ocean surface becomes heated, there are fewer nutrients to help fuel the growth of phytoplankton, on which marine life depends. As a consequence, it hampers the whole ecosystem of a marine environment.
Challenges for humans
From fossil fuels to energy efficiency, the effects of climate change, including severe storms, scorching heat waves, and crippling droughts, are imminent all over the globe, says Brian Colombana. You may have noticed how seasonal weather patterns near you are changing or how more extreme floods and wildfires are developing in the summer months. Maybe your state is experiencing devastating hurricanes that wreak havoc on nearby communities.
What worries more is that climate change can also help spread disease quickly and increase the likelihood of group conflict over resources. For example, droughts related to climate change could decrease agricultural output in areas and have a negative economic impact while causing local groups to fight over water and arable land. For example, in the Midwestern states of America, untimely and extreme rains delay planting season. Some regions aren’t planting crops like they used to because of how things have changed, especially with the effects of floods to farmland usually made worse after the snow melts in the spring. It makes it challenging for farmers to grow their traditional crops and sustain their way of life, ponders Brian Colombana.
What is the solution?
The vast majority of climate scientists are sure that carbon emissions threaten human and animal life, leading to rising temperatures, extinction events, and more. Permanently reversing this course is crucial. For this, ditching fossil fuels and opting for clean energy like wind and solar while preserving the natural resources can prove beneficial. At the same time, proactively managing forests and farmlands can also naturally reduce carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. It can bring down carbon levels by almost one-third, due to which temperatures may stop rising beyond 1.5 degrees or 3 degrees F.
The issue of climate change has deepened with time as the consumption rate increased and industrial development took a rampant pace. Since everything is at stake now, from public health to lives, the American government and other nations are also committing themselves to care for matters that harm the natural atmosphere. However, Americans feel government still has to do a lot to control the situation in favor of everyone.