what are some possibe effects of climate change resulting from a warmer earth?

Answer 1

Well, besides the rising seas, extreme weather is most often cited, meaning more hurricanes, more drought, etc.

In the tropics, radiation is not a plausable means of releasing heat (because the water vapor concentration is high enough to trap the radiation), so convection is the only means to release heat. As the heat goes up, the convection becomes more powerful. Hurricanes are very powerful cooling agents. The entire Gulf cooled 1 degree C overall and 5 degrees C in the path of Katrina. This convection will drive the gradients you speak of, but the imbalance should only be greater. So, it's not 100% correlation, but hurricanes worldwide are stronger and more frequent than ever, and the records go back to 1850. 2006 was the biggest year ever (average in the Atlantic, records in Pacific), beating out 2005 (record in Atlantic, above average in Pacific). Just recently, the first hurricane EVER recorded in the south Atlantic formed, along with the first to ever hit Portugal.

By the way, the El Nino/La Nina pattern has a big influence on the location of hurricanes. The 2004/2005 El Nino warmed the Atlantic, leading to the big 2005 season, and the 2005/2006 La Nina warmed the Pacific and helped their record season.

Answer 2

One major effect that has gotten alot of media attention is global warming, meaning the Earth is warming up at a faster pace than it should be. The ice at the North Pole and glaciers in Alaska are melting and therefore increasing the amount of water on Earth. The Earth is self operating it can replenish itself but not when we humans are cutting down all the trees and using up all the natural resources and not replacing what we take out. When trees are cut down and not replaced that compromises the air we breath. We breath oxygen to survive and exhale carbon dixode that the trees need to survive, when trees are cut down and replaced with buildings and such the natural process of the breathing is disturbed, air is dirtier and less filtered, that's why pollen and allergens are so prominent in the atmosphere. There has already been an increase in tornadoes and storms, as well as alot of surprisingly 70 degree days,summer like days during the winter. When summer finally rolls around it will probably be much hotter than it has been before and the air will be very dirty almost thick. We are destroying the only Earth we have to live on and many don't know it or just don't care. All the best.

Answer 3

There are many wonderful effects that you never hear about because that would work against the negative intentions of the alarmists and they are quite obvious. Among these is Greater crop yields especially with added CO2 which acts as a fertilizer and reduces the amount of water that a plant needs for photosynthesis. There may be longer growing seasons. Additional crop yields will mean less hunger. Global warming actually should be called global moderation since much of the warming involves warming on the cold side meaning the average is increase because it is not so cold. The hot days may only increase marginally. Additional plant life will obviously be good for livestock so again there will be less hunger. An obvious one is that fewer animals will die of exposure to cold. It may be marginally more pleasant to live in Northern US, Canada, USSR, and UK. More arable ("farm-able") land may be available further north. As with any change, it will favor some species and hurt others. Change is not something that humans have created. Change in temperature, sea levels, and local environments continually change over time. To fear monger any potential change and imply that it is necessarily bad is reprehensible but that is the truth of global warming. By ignoring anything positive, and focusing and exaggerating the negative, they demonstrate a lack of objectivity.

Frankly, I wouldn't count on any good benefits. We could enter a cold period and we would be far worse off.

Answer 4

Although most people are told that extreme weather will result, the latest predictions have all failed to come true. "Curiously, the post World War II period of greatest fossil fuel use and associated increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide is concurrent with the most sustained quiescent period [hurricane-wise] in the record." This is just one of the factors that have made some of the world's most distinguished scientists change their minds on global warming (see links).

Some scientists believe that warming and increased CO2 is actually good for people and the planet. CO2 is important for plant life. (see link) Past periods of warming allowed abundant farming and cultivation - and no catastrophic disasters.

Answer 5

Flooding of low lying coastal areas. Moving people away and replacing what we lose will be very expensive.

Damage to agriculture caused by changing patterns of precipitation and temperature. Here's an early example:

http://www.reuters.com/article/inDepthNews/idUSN1627329720070323

Rich countries can cope, but it will cost them huge amounts of money.

In poor countries already struggling to feed themselves, many people (not all) will die of starvation.

Answer 6

lots more hurricane katrinas, 1992 style flooding, etc. oh and jesus might come back to.