The answer is yes, and it has already begun. It is important
to know the effects of climate change on our well-being and to find mitigation
methods as to how we as a people can prevent further harm.
The Respiratory system is one of the most susceptible
systems to climate change as asthma attacks may increase due to air pollution, pollen and dust. Moreover,
as harmful ozone concentrations increase at ground level so too will food and
waterborne diseases. These are diseases caused by pathogenic microorganisms
that can be transmitted by water or food which in turn cause diseases such as
cholera. Additionally, diseases that can be transmitted by mosquitoes, flies or
ticks such as malaria are called vector borne diseases. These insects are
climate sensitive and increase due to flooding and rise in temperature.
Although climate change poses serious threats to our health, its effects can be mitigated by simply reducing our energy consumption.
This chapter examines the impact climate change has on coastal areas and marine life.
According to journalist Shereen Ali, a World Wildlife Fund
report released in April 2015, valued world ocean assets at US$24 trillion—with
an extra US$2.5 trillion per annum from the goods and services generated from
coastal and marine environments.
For instance, in Caribbean islands such as Jamaica, Dominica and Tobago, coral
reefs are known as great tourist attractions which in turn brings revenue into
the country. Additionally, the reefs protect the islands from strong storm
surges. However, due to the rise in temperatures, melting of glaciers and a
rise in sea levels, these reefs cannot thrive as they require shallow water for
sunlight to penetrate. Therefore, as storms hit these islands, those that once
had a strong protective coral barrier now has a weak one or none at all. The countries
also lose out in “sun, sea and sand” tourism as the beaches are now being
destroyed due to flooding of the coastal areas. Consequently, jobs in the tourism industry
are lost.
Moreover, climate change also affect marine life.Warmer temperatures and more rain water, triggers a chain reaction
of lower oxygen and high levels of nutrients in the water killing many
organisms. For instance, the orange-spotted filefish thrives in its natural
coral habitat, however, as corals are dying, the fish struggle to survive.
According to National Geographic, the orange-spotted filefish has already gone
extinct near Japan due to warmer ocean currents. The link below gives an insight to greater effects of climate change on marine life, such adaptations and invasive species.
References
“15 Animals Facing Extinction Due to Climate Change.” Local Weather from AccuWeather.com - Superior Accuracy™, www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/15-animals-facing-extinction-due-to-climate-change/70000220.
Ali, Shereen. Managing Our Most Important Resource: The Caribbean Sea. 10 Dec. 2015, www.guardian.co.tt/lifestyle/2015-12-09/managing-our-most-important-resource-caribbean-sea.
In today's blog-post the effects of climate change on agriculture will be discussed. Agriculture is an integral part of any economy. The Caribbean's year-round tropical climate facilitates year-round agricultural production which is a great source of income to many countries by exporting these goods. For instance, the livestock, seafood and crops produced in Jamaica generates more than 200 Million US to the economy annually. Additionally, many Caribbean people are employed in the agricultural sector.
Agriculture is tremendously dependent on the climate. Even though the foretold upsurge in average temperature is
only small, it could pose serious consequences to agriculture. The swift change
in the earth’s temperature may result in hot weather, wild fires, drought, further
intense rainstorms, more dangerous and powerful hurricanes, a rise in sea levels,
shifts in ecosystems and possible extinction of species.
Some of the more serious famines in the world have been caused
by droughts. Heat waves cause life-threatening heat stress in crops, which
usually limit yields if they transpire during certain times of the plants'
life-cycle, that is during pollination or fruit set. Additionally, heat waves may result in wilted
plants due to their pre-eminent transpiration rates, which in turn can cause
yield loss if not neutralized through irrigation.
Heavy rains that frequently
result in flooding are damaging to soil structure and by extension, the crops.
Most plants cannot endure lengthy waterlogged conditions as their roots must
breathe. Moreover, flooding usually erode
topsoil from chief growing areas which results in permanent habitat mutilation.
Furthermore, large trees, barns, houses and other structures that are usually
involved in the production of agriculture are destroyed in the event of
torrential rains accompanied by heavy winds, better known as hurricanes.
The picture below shows damage in Dominica after hurricane
Maria. According to the United Nations, 65,000 people on the island were
affected and 100 percent of its crops were damaged.
Wismin Wright carries her belongings out of her damaged home on September 23, 2017 in Wesley Village, Dominica.
Source: Jose Jimenez/ Getty Images)
Adaptations and Mitigation Methods
There’s no need to panic as there are ways to
rectify such problems. Below is a link demonstrating an advanced adaptation to
climate change in Italy where vegetables are grown in air tight pods. Caribbean
nations should seek out ways to adapt such a method as it could create possible
food security.
References
“Climate Impacts on Agriculture and Food Supply.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 6 Oct. 2016, 19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/climate-impacts/climate-impacts-agriculture-and-food-supply_.html.
Jose Jimenez
Montoya, Roberto Hernández, et al. “Dominica
Receives More International Aid After Hurricane.” News | TeleSUR English,
www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Dominica-Receives-More-International-Aid-After-Hurricane-20171013-0014.html.
Impacts, adaptations and mitigation methods for climate change.
“Is global warming real?”
“Should we be worried about climate change?”
If you find yourself asking any of the questions above…this blog is definitely for you. Practically, mostly all of the considerable problems faced today have been worsened and multiplied due to escalating global warming. The economic and ecological problems listed below will intertwine and therefore worsen as the average global temperature rises, such impacts will be discussed throughout this blog.
Severe droughts, floods and wild fires
Rising sea levels
Water resource impacts
Desertification and deforestation
Food and resource depletion
Ocean fish stock depletion
Growing economic inequity, poverty and instability
Background information
Let’s have a look at what exactly climate change is. According
the Met Office (UK), Climate change is a large-scale, long-term shift in the
planet's weather patterns or average temperatures. It was agreed upon by most climate scientists
that the leading cause of the global warming inclination is the human expansion
of the greenhouse effect. Although the greenhouse
effect is seen as the main cause of global warming, it is a natural and
necessary phenomenon. Had the greenhouse effect not been present, the average
earth’s temperature would be -18oC which is impossible for life as
we know it to exist. The reason behind the rapid change in our climate is due to
an excess of greenhouse gases. These gases are created throughout a range of
human undertakings such as the burning of fossil fuels. These are accountable for
the intensification of the natural greenhouse effect which now causes global
warming.
