1. CLIMATE CHANGE AND ITS IMPACTS
INTRODUCTION
Climate on Earth is very dynamic which has been constantly changing for many ages. However,
over the last few decades, climate change has been accelerating at a tremendous phase due to
anthropogenic activities. Climate change has affected almost all parts of the world and its
impacts become more and more severe with rise in every degree.
IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
The global mean temperature has been continuously rising and the rate has accelerated over the
past few decades due to greenhouse gas emissions from various sectors. As a result of global
warming and its allied climate change, various adverse effects have been observed and some of
them are listed below.
Ocean acidification and rising sea levels:
As a result of global warming and absorbance of greenhouse gases by the oceans, the mean
temperature of the oceans keep increasing and their pH levels keep dropping to acidic levels. As
a result of heat storage, the water in the oceans get warmed up and as a result, expands up
leading to rise in sea levels.
Melting of glaciers
Global warming has ultimately lead to melting of glaciers which contributes to further rise in sea
level. Already, loss of ice covers from Antarctica, Greenland and Himalayas have been observed.
Heat waves and aridity
As a consequence of climate change, heat waves that have been extreme and very severe have
been reported. Also, many heat waves occur at unusual times and have a dreadful impact on
agriculture and also cause forest fires, etc. Also, prolonged droughts and increase of aridity in
lands which in turn affect the economy of the country have also been reported.
Precipitation patterns
Precipitation patterns have become altered due to climate change and it has been reported that
wetter regions get wetter and drier regions become drier.
Food insecurity
As a result of climate change, food insecurity would become a severe problem as agricultural
yields are affected by the incidence of droughts, alteration in precipitation patterns, expansion of

2. arid lands, heat waves, etc and the developing countries are always more vulnerable to food
insecurity and also other adverse effects of climate change.
Natural disasters
Natural disasters such as tropical cyclones, tsunamis, etc become more frequent with a higher
intensity as a consequence of climate change.
Spread of vector-borne diseases
Another negative impact of the climate change is that it affects the patterns of the spread of
pathogens and vector-borne diseases.
Disrupts ecological balance
Climate change often poses detrimental effects on the balance of the ecosystems, thus affecting
the sustenance of biodiversity. It also indirectly affects human health causing skin-related and
other ailments and deaths due to intolerance to climate change.
Health and lifestyle-related disorders
The dreadful impacts of climate change would become more and more severe and tough to
tolerate with ever-increasing human population, with which increases competition and struggle
for existence. This affects both the physical and mental health, forcing some changes in lifestyle.
Various simulations and modeling of climate in the future scenarios have been done and most of
their predictions are always alarming as they mostly show elevated temperature and sea levels
which in turn affect the economy and livelihood of countries, especially those that are
developing. Also, dwindling of land cover, reduction in yield and intolerable future climates are
the most-warned outcomes of climate change.
CONCLUSION
Thus, it is the dire need of the hour to take some serious measures like minimizing greenhouse
gas emission, enhancing green cover, etc to lessen the intensity of climate change or it may be an
uninhabitable that we would be leaving for our future generations.