Global Warming as A Great Risk To Our Environment

Global warming is an undeniable increase in the earth‘s average atmospheric temperature, that causes corresponding changes in climate and the environment. While scientific evidence is overwhelming in proof, there are those who still believe that global warming is a hoax or not empirically verified for various irrelevant reasons! This is so extremely disappointing, as the future of our planet is at stake. The last thing we should do during this critical time is to argue whether or not our world is being destroyed. Global warming is real, due to sea levels rising, extreme weather patterns and the huge impacts towards the natural ecosystem. Our duty is to take care of the Earth. Our duty is to protect our resources and our duty is to provide a future for other generations.

Over the years, sea levels have been rising at an unprecedented rate due to glaciers and ice sheets melting. NASA scientists has stated the ice sheets of Greenland and Western Antarctic will melt completely. There holds 20% of the Earth’s freshwater. Higher sea levels means more frequent nuisance floods occurring, taking away the lands, therefore shrinking the mass of the countries. The most impacted country by sea levels rising is St. Kitts and Nevis in the Caribbean, which has shrunk 90 square kilometres, more than a quarter of its land area, since 1961. The rising of sea is frightening as there is no recovery. It takes land, communities, infrastructure and everything else away from us forever. Furthermore, this clearly demonstrates that global warming is having a serious effect on the glaciers and ice sheets, causing sea level to rise and therefore impacting lands.

As the world has warmed, it is triggering extreme weather trends such as rising heat waves, droughts, floods and bushfires occurring more frequently and more intensively. Droughts and less regular rain is exacerbated by hot summers and this leads to serious economic and environmental harm. Shortage of water will occur because of this; it will be difficult for food production to feed a growing population with a water shortage. As a result, the prices of foods will increase as to water, due to how valuable it is. Many frequent and more serious fires and wildfires, as we have seen in Australia this summer can be expected. The fire took away so much life. One billion animals perished, and the fires destroyed 17.1 million hectares. Therefore, environmental disasters will displace people’s means of livelihood, reduce clean air, limit safe drinking water and sufficient food and secure shelter will be depleted.

Natural ecosystems are one of our most precious resources, critical for sustaining life on the planet. Changing climate affects ecosystems in a variety of ways. For instance, warming forces species to migrate to higher altitudes or higher elevations where temperatures are more conducive to their survival. Similarly, the sea level rises, saltwater intrusion into a freshwater system forces some key species to relocate or die, thus removing predators or prey are critical in the existing food chain. When the plants and animals die, we lose two sources of food; plant food and animal food. This will lead the human race to starvation. It is hard to a little toddler crying because of starvation. This could be your child. Thus, global warming is posing a serious threat to the ecological balance of the ecosystem and our food security.

You may be saying oh well it won’t affect me or bother me, but It may not to our generation, but It will definitely effect the next generation. Your children and grandchildren will be in agony. The Earth’s condition will be like hell brought down to Earth. Simple things like planting trees, recycling and reducing emission of greenhouse will help to keep the planet cooler and reduce air pollution.

In conclusion, global warming is a serious issue posing great risk to our environment. It has resulted in rising sea levels, extreme weather conditions and destruction of our natural ecosystem. If we do not act now we can expect 250,000 additional deaths of human race each year. So today I ask what kind of world do you want to live in? A world with toxic gases released from factories or this image of a green, clean world? I don’t know about you, but I want a healthy Earth. Hence, If we do not act now there will be nothing left for future generations and we will see our heirs suffer because of our selfless desires.