Climate change and sustainability
Climate change caused by the global increase in temperatures triggers multiple negative effects on the planet. These effects interrelate with each other and increase their violence, putting at risk the species that inhabit the Earth, including the humans.
In this infographic you can see how the rise in temperatures caused mainly by greenhouse gas emissions affects multiple scenarios:
Three main levels of climate change impact
The global increase in temperatures can influence the physical, biological and human systems.
First, variations in the physical systems of the planet can be observed in the melting of the poles, which at the same time cause glacial regression, snow melting, warming and thawing of permafrost, flooding in rivers and lakes, droughts in rivers and lakes, coastal erosion, sea level rise and extreme natural phenomena.
In the biological systems, there is death of flora and fauna in terrestrial and marine ecosystems, wildfires andflora and fauna displacement searching for better life conditions.
In human systems, climate change affects and destroys crops and food production, causes disease and death, destruction and loss of economic livelihoods and migrations of climate refugees.
Interrelationships between the effects of climate change
In addition, these negative consequences feed each other back and increase their magnitudes; for example:
- Droughts frequently cause wildfires, which then destroy crops.
- The melting of glaciers, snow and ice causes sea level rise, which erodes the coast and involves the destruction of many economic means of subsistence.
- Droughts, rising sea levels, extreme natural phenomena and floods cause climate refugees.
What are the impacts of climate change?
Would you like to receive the best sustainability content in your e-mail?