Climate Change or Climate Crisis

2021 might be our last chance. At this point, the effects of climate change are all around us. These impacts extend well beyond an increase in temperature. Things that we depend upon and value, for example, water, energy, transportation, wildlife, agriculture, ecosystems, and human health, are experiencing the effects of a changing climate. For example, Texas and its severe winter storms in February 2021 demonstrate how severely climate change affects our future. Or the relentless wildfires that took over California and Australia. From changing weather patterns that threaten food production to rising sea levels that increase the risk of catastrophic flooding, the impacts of climate change are hazardous. Without action today, accommodating these impacts in the future will be complex and costly. Forests are burning, cities are underwater, and yet we still can not seem to catch a hint. It is not global warming nor climate change. Let us call it exactly what it is, a climate crisis.

Firstly, what is climate change? Climate change describes a shift in the average conditions, such as temperature and rainfall, in a domain over a long period. Earth and its climate have constantly been changing. And has before humans, and most likely after us too. However, scientists have observed significant changes recently. It has proven to be because of humans and the pollutants they put in the air.  For example, the Earth and its average temperature have been increasing much more promptly than they should be. The results of that cause concern to encompass the minds of scientists. But now, Global air temperatures near the Earth and its surface have gone up about 2 degrees Fahrenheit in the last era. The past five years have been the warmest five years in centuries. A couple of degrees may not seem like much.  And this change can have a critical impact on the well-being of the Earth and its plants and animals. 

Climate change is not just bad for the planet and its health; it is dangerous for humans. Climate change affects the atmosphere and the air we breathe. Higher temperatures lead to an increase in hypersensitivities and harmful air pollutants. For instance, longer warm seasons can mean longer pollen seasons. These air pollutants can increase allergic reactions and asthma attacks and make working daily unmanageable. Higher temperatures associated with climate change can also lead to an increase in ozone, a harmful air pollutant. Ozone is also known as pollutant smog. Ozone assimulates with health problems. Things like diminished lung function and even cancer can result. Also, the frequency of wildfires expects to increase as drought conditions grow more prevalent. Wildfires will significantly decrease air quality and affect people and their health in several ways. Smoke exposure increases intense respiratory illness, respiratory and cardiovascular hospitalizations, and medical visits for lung illnesses. 

Whether it is a solid, liquid, or gas, water is vital to our Earth. We depend on it for drinking and for nurturing our produce and wildlife, and countless species (like humans) depend on freshwater ecosystems to survive. As the climate changes, so will the freshwater and saltwater resources that form the foundations of our societies and economies. And as the climate changes, so must we and how water is in our daily life. When the weather gets hotter, so do our oceans. Hotter oceans threaten many organisms. Aquatic animals that flourish in colder water will either die or evolve to sustain themselves in a warmer climate. Changes in the environment affect what is in the water and what we can collect from it. Climate change alters the water cycle by deciding when, where, and how much rain, snow, or hail falls. It also leads to more rigorous weather events over time. Rising temperatures cause water to evaporate in large amounts, which will lead to higher levels of water vapor in the atmosphere and more frequent, heavy, and intense rains in the forthcoming years. Climate change also causes a rise in sea level worldwide. Sea-level shifts are altering coastlines and ruining buildings, posing risks to human life. Raised sea levels transpire for two reasons, the expansion of the ocean as it heats and the increased melt from ice sheets, ice caps, and glaciers. Those reasons follow with alarming threats to coastal communities, infrastructure, economies, and ecosystems. The frozen water in those ice sheets, ice caps, and glaciers is the water source for many communities.  As more ice melts and the ice decreases, so will the runoff. When the runoff water stops, it results in the endangerment of available freshwater.  

Imagine a world where crops can not be grown. A world where hunger is taking over and only the rich can have available food. Yes, Climate change can lead in that direction. The effects of climate change on food will be severe and will hit much sooner than scientists thought. Crop declines could lead to undernutrition, hunger, and higher food prices. The future circumstances ruining crops include Changes in rainfall patterns, droughts, water shortages for irrigation, and flooding. There will be extreme weather catastrophes such as hurricanes and heavy rainfall, which can ruin a season's worth of crops. In the future, food availability, food accessibility, and food supply stability will be a struggle globally. Already a drought has ruined crops in Brazil, including the valuable coffee harvest. Also, in California, the worst drought in over 100 years destroyed crops, which produces almost half of all the vegetables, fruits, and nuts grown in the United States. (oxfam, 2014) The trials that we face for farming production globally due to climate change are numerous. A failure to discuss climate change will lead to food insecurity worldwide, which puts everyone in danger.

Evidence implies that the warming of the prior era already has resulted in environmental changes, including changes in growing seasons, species ranges, and patterns of seasonal breeding of the Earth's wildlife. Wildlife depends upon healthy environments. Animals survive off of precise temperatures, freshwater, food sources, and places to raise their adolescents. However, Climate change is modifying essential habitat elements critical to wildlife's survival. Melting Arctic ice eliminates hunting territory for polar bears. Warmer water temperatures will cause declines for trout, salmon, and many other species that require cold water to survive. Rising ocean temperatures have already caused massive coral bleaching, leading to the collapse of these ecosystems, which sustain numbers of fish. Many species use signals to tell them when to migrate. But, Climate change is confusing those signals and forcing wildlife to change their life cycle and yearly events. Species may not adapt to the rapid change, and they can't find suitable habitats fast enough. These abundant and diverse animals are so vital to our culture and well-being. These animals are going extinct because of our mistakes. Don't you want your grandchildren to know what a polar bear and a tiger is? At this rate, they'll be extinct by then.

Furthermore, climate change is not a joke. If we don't start taking it seriously, the consequences will be grim. We're killing our Earth. Our forests are turning to ash in seconds; the sea levels are rising, icebergs are melting, Coral reefs are dying, and no one is helping. The effects of climate change have a long list that isn't shortening anytime soon. We're in a climate crisis. And we must recognize that our future is being stolen right beneath us, and we are the thieves.