by Kat Derrig

Created on: March 19, 2008   Last Updated: August 27, 2009

If global warming continues at its present rate, we could see significant changes in both society and the environment around the world. Some of these changes we can predict fairly accurately, and some we cannot.

One possible outcome of a warming climate will be the melting of the polar icecaps. Recently, NASA data revealed that some of the old, thickest Arctic has begun to melt. With the introduction of this frigid water into the Atlantic, some scientists predict that the Gulf Stream could slow and cut off warm water to Western Europe, plunging that area into another ice age, or at least creating much cooler temperatures.

Estimating the impact on European society is difficult, but cold weather would be economically devastating to regions of Spain, France and Italy that rely on tourists seeking sunny beaches. Environmentally, some plant and animal species might not be able to withstand such a drastic climate change, and could become extinct in those areas, impacting humans and animals that rely on their presence for food or industry.

While some areas would experience a drop in temperatures, other would experience a drastic rise. Unfortunately, many of the hottest regions of the Earth, such as Africa and South America, also contain some of the most politically unstable countries. With an increase in temperature, survival would become even more difficult in impoverished areas, creating openings for opportunistic dictators to gain power in these countries already rife with political upheaval.

This would put pressure on other countries, including the United States, to not only receive the influx of refugees, but also to decide on whether to intervene in foreign affairs. Also, with the greater heat and drying up of water sources, the impact on the environment could be enormous as farmers and villagers in these areas destroy natural habitats in order to claim the last fertile lands.

With rising temperatures, some areas that are now too cold for comfortable inhabitation could become prime real estate. Regions of Canada that are currently untouched wilderness might be sites for potential development. Economically, only those who can afford to pay the premium for pleasant weather would be able to afford to live in these areas. Mass development would also impact the plants and animals currently living there, and could threaten their existence.

Global warming will not only impact the environment, but the social, political, and economic balance of the world. It's possible that rich investors will take advantage of climate changes to make a profit on land and resources, and that the poor will suffer as those resources dry up from their lands.

"Thickest, oldest Arctic ice is melting" by Deborah Zabarenko
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080318/sc_nm/ice_arctic _dc;_ylt=AiUvP5f2hGXNyDga9ffBaDsPLBIF

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