how important is global warming?

Answer 1

It doesn't get much more important:

"No-one should doubt the importance of global warming. It's arguably the most significant environmental issue facing the population of the planet today. While little doubt exists among the scientific community that human activity is changing the climate, the real issue is trying to predict the degree and timing of that change. Current estimates suggest a warming of 3-5°C by 2100. But to what extent can the climate change without human interference?

There is considerable evidence to suggest that it can and that presents quite an alarming picture. Earth's climate has already undergone many dramatic swings and this was long before we created technologies capable of altering the atmosphere. We need to fully appreciate this picture in order to put global warming (or cooling) predictions into perspective and to understand the degree to which we humans may be the cause."

"At the rate our climate is changing, the world will soon be warmer than at any time in th last 10,000 years.

The world has warmed by 0.5 degC over the past century and an average 2 degC warming is predicted by 2100.

There is scientific consensus that air pollution from human activities is partly responsible for global warming.

Climatic changes will alter natural vegetation, wildlife habitats, crop growing seasons, and distribution of pests and diseases.

Global warming will cause a continued and accelerated rise in sea levels, threatening half of the world's most critical coastal wetlands.

A one-meter rise in sea level would threaten half of the world's coastal wetlands of international importance for their biodiversity.

A 3 degC to 4 degC warming could eliminate up to 85% of the remaining wetlands in the semi-arid regions of southern Europe.

The loss of wetlands in the flood plains of rivers in the African Sahel could make some local populations of turtles and birds extinct.

A 3 degC to 4 degC warming could eliminate all open waters of the prairie pothole region in the US, an area where half of the wild duck population hatch out.

About 30 new infectious diseases have emerged in the past 20 years.

Global warming will expose millions of people to new health risks. Infectious diseases are emerging, resurging and undergoing redistribution on a global scale.

Global sea level has risen between 10 to 25 cm in the last 100 years and will rise faster still in the coming decades.

By the year 2050, up to one million additional deaths from malaria may be occurring annually as a result of climate change.

The arctic is unusually important for migratory birds. An estimated 15% of the world's bird species are arctic specialists. In north america, 36 species breed only above 60 degN latitude.

Ringed seals are the principal prey of polar bears. Unseasonal warming can lead to collapses of the snow caves where female seals bear their young. The young as yet have no blubber and die of exposure when cold conditions return. Scientists suspect that declines in seal populations will occur in this manner, and will ultimately lead to declines in polar bear populations.

Detailed climate models suggest that a doubling of greenhouse gas concentrations will lead to a 30% reduction in the tundra available to Arctic species.

Many of the world's most distinctive mammals are found only in the Arctic, including walrus, several species of seals, arctic foxes, collared lemmings, arctic and tundra hares, muskoxen, polar bears, mmarwhals and bowhead whales.

As sea ice becomes thinner due to increased temperatures, animal intruders from the south, such as grizzly bears and moose, are penetrating north affecting local populations.

Between 15 to 20% of the large nature reserves in southern reserves in southern Africa would experience a change in biome or habitat type under different climate change scenarios.

Climatic changes will alter natural vegetation, wildlife habitats, crop growing seasons, and the distribution of pests and diseases."

Answer 2

Everything we hear about Global warming is conjecture. No mention has been made of Tech tonic plates or shifting land masses. We are living on a ball of fire with a crust of approximately 50 Miles.
Where do you think Volcanoes come from. The shifting of the Earth has caused an Earthquake in Hawaii. Doesn't that tell you anything about this planet.
Everything they say about global warming can be directly attributed to over population. Limit births and Global warming will no longer be a problem. Quit burning Diesel fuel, the worst polluter of any.
And quit allowing certain people to profit from the idea. Why is there nothing in your profile Fi Fi

Answer 3

Global warming at it's extreme would be catastrophic, polar ice would melt causing the the ocean levels to go up several hundred feet throughout the world. The ocean's salinity would be diluted affecting ocean life. All low lying coastal cities would be flooded and uninhabitable. If man were to allow global warming to continue, earth could become much like the planet Venus, a good example of the greenhouse effect gone wild, an inhospitable world with surface temperatures in excess of 700 degrees.

Answer 4

Global warming will cut down on the heating costs in the winter time. How can anyone say anything bad about global warming? Global warming is the best thing that could of happened.

Answer 5

I don't believe that it is happening outside of the normal warming/cooling cycles that the earth experiences. I have even read that a few more degrees of temperature would be good for the earth! Don't believe everything that you hear in the media and from the global warming alarmists who just a few years ago were warning about the coming Ice Age!

Answer 6

If it were real, it would probably be important to me. I am for a cleaner environment and conservation. That's why I recycle, reuse and reduce starting in my own home. I think global warming is just something engorged by the liberal media and liberal celebrities so that they can make a buck off big business in fines and legal fees. Global warming is just another lie used by the aforementioned in their war on capitalism. These are the same people who want to keep U.S. oil reliance in terrorist countries which is a direct support of terror. Beware of the loud and obnoxious. They are full of hot air. Maybe we should blame the by-product coming out of their ears for "global warming".

Answer 7

Global Warming is going to be interesting. It will be a learning experience for the human race.

Answer 8

Global warming can change the way we live, the weather can go whack and people may be running for their lives. The greenhouse effect as they call it traps some of the heat and heats up the earth.

Answer 9

to the human species, very, to the planet, not so much. All you have to do is watch the discovery channel, and any of the "walking with..." shows that they have, you will see that the earth has had many great spans at which it was a lot hotter than it has been during the age of humans.

to assume that the world we live in is the natural state of this planet is arrogant. human history is 10,000 years old at best, the planet is millions. to assume that what we have known is what is meant to be is to assume that the planet cares that we live.
Through out the history of evolution humanity and its predecessors have changed and adapted with the changing planet, now that we have the technology to see and measure the changes of man and the earth, all of a sudden those changes have to stop? NO if we are meant to survive in a warmer world we will, if not so be it, many other creatures have walked this land before us, and when humanity is dead, many new ones will walk on it after us.

Answer 10

not at all important the earth warms and cools it's natural.