by Joseph Saronge

Created on: April 16, 2009   Last Updated: April 18, 2009

Effects of Climate Change on Society and Environment

The effects of climatic changes may not be experienced directly at present but may manifest itself as a future threat to fundamental sustainable development.

Climate changes will be obvious in the northern hemisphere and on land areas where precipitation will be higher, sea levels will increase and the world might experience even more run-off glacier and ice sheets.

All these diverse changes will impact negatively on how we handle our society and environment in which we live in.

Worst of all there will be increased water shortage in the already dry areas of the world. This is in essence the worst case scenario because more and more nations will be destabilized as a result of water shortage. The demand for water will outstrip the needs of mankind. this is effect will cause instability in some areas where future wars will be fought in scramble for water.

Currently, the world is under allot of pressure for resources with people sharing the few available basics. That is why all nations must curb their carbon emissions to reasonable levels.

At present, according to scientists, 7 Billion tons of carbon dioxide, CO2 is emitted globally into the atmosphere that is why we are now experiencing in many places extreme temperatures. Here the main culprits are industrialised nations and some developing nations.

We are now experiencing hotter summer, more heat waves and increased flooding in the coastal regions. The same is experienced with more drought.

Climate change also results in food shortage and diseases which puts more pressure on social, environmental and economic costs. What remains at stake is for us to be able to ensure that food production is not threatened and be able to proceed with the economic development in a sustainable manner.

Climate change may also affect desertification in that there will be increased extent and severity of the already existing desert lands. With it comes along decline in the water quality and crop yields will also decline. Climate change therefore paints a grim picture of a future that is littered with hunger and starvation.

All in all most valuable eco-systems that we know today are in imminent danger of failing or becoming extinct as they find it difficult to cope with the shift in climatic environs.

As long as climate change remains a threat to our existence, the industrialized nations and culprits of carbon emissions must first acknowledge their historic responsibility by cutting down on carbon emissions and other gasses that affect the atmosphere and erode the ozone layer.

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