What are the environmental problems asssociated with global warming/ climate change?

What are the possible consequences (good or bad) to the environment and to humans if we do nothing?





What are the possible solutions?|||"What are the possible consequences (good or bad) to the environment and to humans if we do nothing?"





鈥?Global temperatures will continue to rise


http://data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/graphs鈥?/a>





鈥?Oceans will continue to warm


http://academics.eckerd.edu/instructor/h鈥?/a>





鈥?Ice sheets wil continue to shrink


http://www.unep.org/geo/geo_ice/PDF/GEO_鈥?/a>





鈥?Sea levels will continue to rise


http://www.aviso.oceanobs.com/en/news/oc鈥?/a>





鈥?Arctic sea ice will continue to decline


http://nsidc.org/data/seaice_index/image鈥?/a>





Many of the other effects (of AGW) vary from region to region, so I've listed the consequences by continent.





鈥orth America: Decreasing snowpack in the western mountains; increased frequency, intensity and duration of heat waves in cities that currently experience them.





鈥atin America: Gradual replacement of tropical forest by savannah in eastern Amazonia; risk of significant biodiversity loss through species extinction in many tropical areas; significant changes in water availability for human consumption, agriculture and energy generation.





鈥urope: Increased risk of inland flash floods; more frequent coastal flooding and increased erosion from storms and sea level rise; glacial retreat in mountainous areas; reduced snow cover and winter tourism; extensive species losses; reductions of crop productivity in southern Europe.





鈥frica: By 2020, between 75 and 250 million people are projected to be exposed to increased water stress; yields from rain-fed agriculture could be reduced by up to 50 percent in some regions by 2020; agricultural production, including access to food, may be severely compromised.





鈥sia: Freshwater availability projected to decrease in Central, South, East and Southeast Asia by the 2050s; coastal areas will be at risk due to increased flooding; death rate from disease associated with floods and droughts expected to rise in some regions





http://climate.nasa.gov/effects/





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"What are the possible solutions?"





The obvious solution is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.





We can do this by reducing our energy consumption and using cleaner energy. The majority of our greenhouse gas emissions comes from burning fossil fuels for transportation (gasoline) and to produce energy (coal).





Here are some simple steps anyone can take to reduce their energy consumption:





鈥?Dress appropriately


鈥?Lower your thermostat


鈥?Insulate pipes, walls, lofts, doors, etc.


鈥?If you need an appliance, choose an energy star rated unit


鈥?Use energy efficient lightbulbs


鈥?Turn of unnecessary lights


鈥?Unplug unnecessary appliances


鈥?Shut off your computer monitor when it's not in use


鈥?Eat fewer meat and dairy products


鈥?Recycle and reuse


鈥?Walk or bike when possible


鈥?Use public transport or carpool when you need to drive


鈥?Drive a fuel efficient vehicle








Or - use cleaner energy





鈥?Sign up to a green energy supplier


鈥?Generate your own power - use solar panels or wind turbines, etc.


鈥?If you need a new vehicle, choose an alliterative fuel model|||Slowing the progression of the next ice age.


Elimination of unfit species.


Increased food production.


Decreased using food as fuel for cars and using it for starving people.


No making billions for Al Gore through carbon trading schemes.


No bogus taxes.


No funding of non-cost effective methods of energy production.


Better quality of life for everyone through lower energy costs.|||Consequences:


http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data鈥?/a>|||al gore can get dumb kids to talk about some thing that ant real al gore needs to go to jail|||Now that is a very good question on the Global Warming subject.





Lets assume for a moment that the planet goes through a prolonged warming such as occurred at the end of the last century and warms for another 50 years, until 2060. Further lets assume that the rate of warming is pretty much the same as it was in the last century. I believe most AGW adherents would agree that Average temp increased a little less than 1 degree Celsius from early 1900's until 1998.





First off, if these assumptions above are correct the temp will rise approx. another 0.5 degrees Celsius.





What will that rise in temperature do to our climate? Alarmists continually tell us, like chicken little, that the sky is falling. Catastrophe, gloom, despair, and agony will plague the inhabitants of the earth. Ocean levels will rise, possibly as much as 20 feet. Droughts will occur, severe weather will be more common. Hurricanes will get worse, Even massive amounts of snowfall, and colder winters.





But what if that slight warming will prolong the growing season in Canada and Siberia making for bumper crops. What if the increase in CO2 levels helps vegetation grow faster. Fact is that CO2 is an essential gas required for plants to thrive.





Is it true what the alarmist say that another 1/2 degree will cause polar ice melt off that will raise the ocean level significantly? I have covered this question in other YA postings but suffice it to say, their calculations are very questionable. From what I have found, in the worst case scenario, melting will probably result in a rise of ocean level of no more than 18 inches. And that would be over a millennium of time. It would be much less than 18 inches in just the next 50 years.