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| Global warming and its relationship to humans? |
Our climate is determined by patterns of temperature, wind, air pressure, humidity, and rainfall over a long period of time. There are different climates in the world, such as tropical, dry, and temperate. As a large country, Australia has a variety of climates.
Les saisons du climat d'une région déterminent quand il va et vient, affectant les types et la croissance des plantes et des animaux. The species and places we love depend on complex ecosystems, and even small changes in climate can upset the delicate balance of nature.
Like humans, every aspect of our lives depends on the natural environment. This includes the food we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink, the clothes we wear, and the products that are manufactured and sold to create jobs and stimulate the economy.
A healthy and stable climate is our most precious natural resource.
Global warming and its relationship to humans?
Global warming causes immediate and direct changes to the planet, caused by pollution with greenhouse gases.
The Earth's temperature had already risen by 1°C above pre-industrial levels. This temperature increase may seem small, but small temperature increases translate into large changes in the global climate. This is because the amount of extra energy needed to raise the global temperature, even slightly, is enormous.
- Warmer days:
2015 was the hottest year on record, with the previous record broken in 2014 and 2016 set to set a new record for the third consecutive year. In recent years, records for the longest heatwaves have been broken and the Bureau of Meteorology has added purple and magenta to its forecast map for temperatures up to 54°C.
- Sea levels are rising:
Rising ocean temperatures are melting glaciers and ice caps around the world. Melting ice increases the volume of water in our oceans. Warmer temperatures also expand the water mass, causing sea levels to rise, threatening low-lying islands and coastal cities.
The oceans absorbed most of the extra heat and carbon dioxide (CO2) - more than the air - making the seas warmer and more acidic. Extreme weather events such as wildfires, hurricanes, droughts, and floods are becoming more frequent and intense due to global warming.
. Rising seas are bleaching coral reefs and causing more severe storms. Increasing ocean acidity threatens shellfish, especially small crustaceans without which marine food chains would collapse.
Intensely burnt forest, showing complete loss of vegetation structure. Western Australia © Karlene Bain / WWF-Aus
Unfortunately, the poorest and most vulnerable nations, and those that have contributed the least to the problem, will be among the hardest hit by global warming. Some of the countries most at risk are our neighbors in the Pacific and South East Asia, including Kiribati, Tuvalu, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
How is global warming affecting life in Australia?
- Ecosystems:
Global warming is putting a strain on ecosystems through increased temperatures, water shortages, increased threats of fire and drought, weed and pest invasions, severe storm damage, storm damage, and salt invasion, to name a few. Some of Australia's great natural icons, such as the Great Barrier Reef, are already under threat.
- Species:
One in six species is threatened with extinction due to climate change. With the speed of climate change we are already seeing, it is often impossible for species to adapt quickly enough to keep up with changes in their environment. And with habitat destruction, it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep up.
- Food and agriculture:
Changes in rainfall patterns, increasingly severe droughts, frequent heatwaves, floods, and extreme weather conditions are making it difficult for farmers to graze livestock and grow crops, reducing the availability of food and feed, and making it more expensive to buy.
Read more about food and agriculture here.
- Water:
Reduced rainfall and more severe droughts can lead to water shortages.
Coastal erosion:
Rising sea levels and more frequent and intense storms will further erode Australia's coastline, eroding and flooding community and residential properties.
- Health:
Severe and frequent heat waves can lead to death and illness, particularly in the elderly. Higher temperatures and humidity can also lead to more mosquito-borne diseases.
- Damage to homes:
Increasingly severe weather events such as forest fires, storms, floods, hurricanes and coastal erosion will increase damage to homes, as well as more expensive insurance premiums.
Coral bleaching:
Rising temperatures and acidity in our oceans are contributing to severe coral bleaching events, such as the 2016 event that destroyed more than a third of the Great Barrier Reef.
White coral on Lizard Island, Queensland, 27 February 2016 © WWF-Aus/Alexander Vail
In Australia, the effects of global warming vary from region to region.
The effects of global warming are already being felt in all areas of Australian life and will continue to worsen if we do not act now to limit global warming to 1.5°C.
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