The Effects of Global Warming In recent years, there are fewer controversies worldwide than the one concerning

the global warming problem. According to Margaret Walshs scientific assessment of climate change, the average surface temperature increased by about 0.6 degrees C globally with a globally increased sea level about 15 to 20 cm. In the mean time, precipitation increased about 2%. Scientists forecast that the global temperature will rise about 1.1 to 5.4 degrees C by 2100 which depends on how much greenhouse gas will be emitted during the period (2). More and more people around the world agree that the trend of global warming due to extreme conditions occurs more frequently than ten years ago which transfers the focus on the effect of global warming. How much will global warming affect human life? Clearly, climate changes caused by global warming have affected many aspects of human life such as water resources, energy use and health. This essay focuses on these three main effects of global warming. In the first place, water is essential to life and to societys welfare and to sustainable economic growth. Plants, animals, and human settlements are sensitive to the changes of water at the land surface. So people needed to understand what in the availability and quality of water changes will affect animals, plants, and the ecosystems. For example, Margaret Walsh illustrates that climate changes affect the precipitation of different parts of America differently. On one hand, Alaskan temperatures have increased by 2 to 4 degrees C which is four times more than the global average. On the other hand, some Southern areas have cooled at the same time.

Most areas in the East and the South receive more precipitation than a century ago, while other areas amount decreased. If this phenomenon continues by another 1 to more than 4 degrees C in the future, the West will be drier and the eastern areas in US probably will have more precipitation (2). Whats more, as Brekke pointed in his report Climate Changes and Water Resources Management says that both the availability and quality of water changes can affect human lives such as thermal energy production. Because limited water availability for cooling the power system. Water availability and quality also has effects on municipal and individual use, navigation support and agriculture irrigation (11). Next, the scientific statistics shows that water availability is one of the most critical factors in ecosystem. Only 3% of the water on earth is fresh water. In that 3% fresh water, 68.7% is frozen in the ice cap and glaciers. The amount of ground water is about 30% and surface water is just about 0.3% (Scientific Assessment 145). Moreover, according to the statistics of water availability in the Climate Change and Water Resources Management report, global sea level average rising rate is about 1.70.5 mm every year during the 20th century. It increases the problem like erosion of sand beaches and saline intrusion in coastal regions (Brekke 6-7). Also, in Dutchs Encyclopedia of Global Warming indicates that the hydrologic cycle is the reason of the continuous changes of water amount. This increased amount of water will cause the result of higher precipitation or melting ice or snow. Similarly, the greenhouse gas emission problem change the temperature and have a strong effect on the quantity of water resources. The speed of evaporation increased because of higher temperature,

then in the same way increases the storm occurrences (1166). In addition, in Walshs book reflects that scientist found that the basic statistic shows that the amounts and ratio of snow to precipitation decrease with the higher temperature. They found 18 of 23 snow course sites in and near Maine has a record of continuous decreasing in both snowpack depth and density in at least 50 years (132). Moreover, Walsh also illustrates a recent statistic of global warming and water precipitation records in which scientists use the computer model to predict the precipitation change will up to 12.5% in some extreme conditions in the next 50 years (141). As a result, the dramatic changes in the quantity and availability of water will force people to change their traditional life style in the near future. Otherwise, the changes in the water quality also have both directly and indirectly impact on the ecological system. As an illustration, a report made by scientists Crozier and Zabel shows the air temperature in the Salmon River basin in Idaho have increased 1.2 degrees C during 1992 to 2003. Thus higher air temperature causes the rise of water temperature which will no doubt directly reduce the survival salmon number. At the same time, scientists Petersen and Kitchell show some indirect effects of the rise of air temperature on the salmon as well. According to the climate statistics of Columbia River from 1933 to 1996 and examined the up to 2 degrees C variation between warm and cold periods, the result shows that the warmer water temperature, the higher mortality rate of baby salmon because of fish predators (Walsh 134). Similarly, Walsh also pointed out that higher temperature will promote algal production and the growth of nuisance species, such as bluegreen algae. As a

result, the amount of oxygen in the water will decrease and be more likely to increase the probability of affecting the water quality (142-143). Therefore, scientists conclude that many forms of water pollution and increased precipitation intensity which caused by warmer temperature will be no doubt affect ecosystems, human health, water system reliability and operating cost in the future all over the world. Scientists also find it is more difficult for the U.S. to achieve the goal for the quality of water alone (Scientific Assessment 155). Secondly, because of the pervasive reason that energy stands in whole human activities, even just tiny variations in energy supply can have broad social influences. As temperature goes higher, there will have many changes occur in energy consumption, production and distribution, especially in the United States. For example, high temperature can increase the needs for cooling and reduce the needs for heating (Scientific Assessment 183). The most obvious problem is about the energy use effects, according to the Wilbanks analysis, each 1 degree C increase in January temperature will cause an decrease of household electric consumption by 2.8% and also cause 2% decrease for natural gas. Some scientists predict that there will be about 7% to 33% decline in space heating in the 2020s in Massachusetts (13-14). Wilbanks also shows the statistics about the energy consumption on cooling system influenced by higher temperature. Every 1 degree C increase will expand the demand for the electricity by 4% and natural gas for 4% and fuel oil for about 15%. They as well predict that in 2020, there will be about 12% to 20% increase on energy consumption for every 1

degree C increase (16). Wilbanks assuming that the trend of global warming will continue and his group estimated that residential electricity monthly demand will increase about 20% to 40% in 2030 while winter monthly natural gas consumption will down by about 10% to 20% in that period of time (21). After doing an extensively research, scientists find there will likely to have an overall increase in energy demand in the United States due to the higher temperature. In return, the increased demand for energy will need additional energy generation infrastructure investments which will cost millions of dollars (Scientific Assessment 187). Another problem relate to the global warming effect on energy is about energy distribution and production. The Wilbankss scientific statistics shows that U.S. energy production is dominated by fossil fuels (86%) including coal (22%), natural gas (23%) and petroleum (40%). Besides, renewable energy supplies have 6% which contain hydropower, wind and solar power. The nuclear power also has 8% in total energy supplies (31). Furthermore, compare to traditional fossil energy and nuclear energy production, renewable energy source are more likely to be affected by the climate variables, such as the changes of air and water temperatures, wind and precipitation (Scientific Assessment 189). Take hydropower and wind power as an example, hydropower production would be disrupted by reduced stream flow which caused by higher temperature. In California, if the temperature rise about 3.1 4.4 degrees C and then the potential for hydropower production will decrease about up to 30%. Now in California overall energy production, hydropower occupies 15%. If the temperature continues increase, the impact would be tremendous (Scientific

Assessment 191). Similarly, wind power generates 14 billion kilowatt hours in 2005 and becomes the fastest growing renewable energy technology. However, it is still very vulnerable for the wind power which will affect by the variability in wind patterns due to the climate change effects (Scientific Assessment 193). In a word, the climate change impact on energy use, production and distribution is becoming more and more visible. People need to find the effective method to protect and control theses use and there still lots of room can be improved. Finally, the most serious and relevant to every people around earth is about the health problems that cause by global warming. Gamble concerned about the global warming impact including heat stroke, water pollution and air quality problems on human health. In his words, The U.S. population is aging; the percent of the population over age 65 is projected to be 13% by 2010 and 20% by 2030 (over 50 million people). Older adults are physiologically and socially vulnerable to hot weather and heat waves, suggesting that heat-related mortality could increase. Evidence that diabetics are at greater risk of heat-related mortality, along with the increasing prevalence of obesity and diabetes, suggests that reduced fitness and higher-fat body composition may contribute to increased mortality. (2 - 16) Due to the average temperatures increase, there will have more heat waves than before. Scientist found that short-term increase mortality is highly related to the increased heat waves. For instance, there are 18 heat waves in India since 1980 which caused the death ranging from 29 in 2000 to 3000 deaths in 2003. In some developed

countries, the problem seems worse. About 35,000 deaths were reported in the 2003 European heat wave. The statistics also shows that the heat waves caused 4780 deaths from 1979 to 2002, while hyperthermia was reported as a main factor for an additional 1203 deaths. Experts predicted that heat waves will attack U.S. at anytime (Scientific Assessment 170-171). Otherwise, scientists have also discovered the relationship between precipitation intensity and outbreaks of waterborne illness in U.S. drinking water. According to the data from 1948 to 1994 shows that when the precipitation is 90%, then there have occurred about 51% waterborne outbreaks. While an 80% precipitation relate to about 68% waterborne outbreak diseases. Scientists also find that the waterborne disease risk would be doubled when the amount of rainfall over 93% than normal (Scientific Assessment 176). Besides, there exists the air quality problem as well. A report in the Scientific Assessment indicates that the declining air quality in cities is most responsible for the warmer and fewer cold days and nights in most part of areas all around the world. In addition, the population growth and aging problem will no doubt strengthen the climate change impact on human health. They report that the increase in regional ozone pollution in U.S. caused by climate change will lead to the result of the lung function reduction and cause asthma and other breathing problems (178). Likewise, Gamble uses the scientific model to show the impacts on the ozone pollution conditions. They examined about 31 counties which temperatures ranging from 0.4-7.0% have discovered the increase in ozone related morality. When the research expands to 50 cities, they found similar relationships between higher temperature and more

ozone-related diseases. In the 2050s, the average ozone concentration will increase about 7.4% and the ozone red alert days could increase by 68% (2-22). In short, climate change poses a certain risk for the people in U.S. The projection should be built to prepare for the continuous serious conditions. In summary, the effects of global warming are becoming more significant and stronger than before and are already affecting the U.S. water resources, energy use and distribution and human health. Without a doubt, this influence will continue and become more serious in the future. Climate change also affects the ecosystems that we live and in return it will affect the services that the ecosystems provide for human beings. However, many people still not be aware of how serious the situation that the mankind are facing. Many existing management infrastructures are needed to redesign to meet the new demand due to the change of global weather. Luckily, the U.S. government has realized the situation and begins to take action to arouse the whole worlds attention on the global warming problem and have made some remarkable improvements.

Work Cited Brekke, Levi D.. Climate Change and Water Resources Management. Reston, Va. : U.S. Geological Survey, 2009. Dutch, Steven I.. Encyclopedia of Global Warming. Pasadena, Calif. : Salem Press,

2010. Print. Gamble, Janet L., and Kristie L. Ebi. Washionton, D.C. : U.S. Climate Change Science Program, 2008. National Science and Technology Council (U.S.). Washington, D.C. : National Science and Technology Council (U.S.). 2008. Walsh, Margaret, and Peter Backlund. The Effect of Climate Change on Agriculture, Land Resources, Water Resources, and Biodiversity in the United States. Washington, D.C. : U.S. Climate Change Science Program, 2008. Wilbanks, Thomas J.. Climate Change Science Program (U.S.). Washington, D.C. : U.S. Climate Change Science Program, 2007.

The Effects of Global Warming Thesis: Climate changes caused by global warming have affected many aspects of humans lives such as water resources, energy and health. This essay will focus on these three main effects of global warming.

I.

Effects on Water Resources A. Quantity and availability B. Quality

II.

Effects on Energy A. Energy Use B. Energy Production and Distribution

III.

Effects on human heath A. Heat stroke caused by extreme temperatures B. Water pollution impacts on mortality C. The air quality problems