As we move into the climate change future, more severe weather events are expected. These events will affect our local communities, and have major implications for our ecosystems.
Across the entire climate system, scientists are observing unprecedented changes. Increasing heat waves and droughts are now commonplace. Several studies have shown that cyclones are becoming stronger. And the Arctic is warming at a faster rate than any other region of the planet. Coastal flooding is also on the rise.
A new report from the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned of the growing threat of extreme weather events. The IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report has a new framework for translating physical climate changes into useful information for risk assessment and adaptation. It focuses on the impact of climate change on the world’s oceans, land and coastal regions.
Sea ice is expected to continue to melt, as the Arctic warms. This will increase sea level and coastal erosion. Additionally, warmer temperatures will reduce snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere. In addition to contributing to sea level rise, these changes are also having a significant impact on ocean ecosystems.
Scientists predict that climate change will increase temperature, precipitation and wind speed. These changes are expected to occur across the globe. Urban populations are particularly at risk. Moreover, urban areas tend to be warmer than their surroundings.
The impacts of these changes will be difficult to predict. Because of this, decision makers rely on model-based scenarios of the climate change future.
Climate Change Predictions
One of the best ways to understand the future of the planet is to examine the climate change predictions made by scientists. These projections are based on modeling and observations of the present. They allow scientists to study the effects of human activity and to understand the changes that will happen in the future.
Climate change predictions are important in making decisions about national and international policies. In order to reduce the risks of climate change, countries have signed on to aggressive targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
Researchers have been making “projections” about the future of the planet for decades. But their predictions are far from perfect. Some models are too simple to be accurate, while others do not reflect actual changes in the Earth.
Some of the most frightening predictions for the 21st century include increased sea temperatures and increased flooding. The melting of polar ice sheets is expected to cause an increase in sea level. This would inundate coastal regions around the world. It may also lead to the loss of inhabited islands.
Climate change predictions also include increases in heavy precipitation. In addition, some areas will become significantly drier. And, in some regions, the amount of rain-fed agriculture will decrease.
Other long-term impacts include decreased water resources in semi-arid regions, increased heat waves in cities, and decreases in sea ice. Several countries have signed on to the Paris Agreement, which calls for limiting global warming to two degrees Celsius by the middle of the 21st century.
