Assuming that global warming patterns will continue along their current trend lines, what types of global warming effects will people experience in their ever day lives?
The answer depends on the specific area in question, and this brief review addresses the general types of global warming effects on human, plant and wildlife populations.
One of the most obvious visible effects of global warming will be changes to plant and wildlife habitat. In any given area, many of the native plant and wildlife species have evolved to live in that specific habitat because it contain their basic survival needs such as food, water and shelter. A changing climate will cause changes to the traditional wildlife and plant habitat.
In many instances, wildlife are adaptable and able to migrate to cope with changing temperatures. Consequently, global warming will mean that people will begin seeing more of some species and less of others in their areas.
The Baltimore Oriole, for example, is the state bird of Maryland, and it is adapted to breeding in a temperate climate. A changing climate, with warmer temperatures in Maryland, suggests that the Oriole might stop migrating to Maryland, instead choosing to nest further to the north in New Jersey or Pennsylvania.
Considerable research about the global warming effects on plants and wildlife has already been undertaken. The Climate Change Atlas, for example, examines global warming effects on eastern tree and bird species.
Wildlife with below average adaptive capabilities are at considerable risk if their current habitat changes. The International Union for Nature Conservation (IUNC) recently released a report suggesting that around the world, 35% of bird species, 52% of amphibian species and 71% of warm-water reef-building coral species are at risk because of a changing climate.
Change in physical landscapes also pose problems for populations around the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) follows recent climate change and health reports saying, "Climate variability and change cause death and disease through natural disasters, such as heat waves, floods and droughts. In addition, many important diseases are highly sensitive to changing temperatures and precipitation.".
In the United States, natural disaster issues associated with climate change such as the formation of more, or more intense, hurricanes in the Eastern United States, and the melting of glaciers in the Western United States, have received considerable attention. The links in the box on the right point to articles with additional information on those topics.
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