Effects of Global Warming

Pros

Climatic Balance

Frozen areas in different parts of the earth can now experience milder climates with an increase in global warming. This will also ensure that there is a balance in extreme climatic zones of the planet, including polar areas and countries with climate extremities. With a proper climatic balance of cold and warmth, the balance of the different ecosystems and sustained plant growth can be ensured. Places such as Siberia and Artic zones will experience milder climates.

 

Rise In Plant Life

With the increase in global warming levels, there will definitely be an increase in the rise in green belts and plant life. Plants and all other green blankets require a certain amount of heat and the sun to function, grow and bring that balance in general ecosystems. Without plant life, there would be decreased amounts of oxygen levels in the atmosphere that could translate to deadly effects on life. Plants and agricultural blankets require a certain amount of carbon dioxide for their growth and sustenance. This comes with greener rainforests, increase in biomass and plankton in ocean beds and a general increase in agricultural growth, the harbinger of positive outcomes for human beings and farm lands. Without the increase in plant life, the survival of human and other living beings would be practically impossible.

 

Easy Sea Transport

Former ice-belts in the ocean are now melting due to the substantial increase of heat in the atmosphere, making sea-transport easier thereby making travel to different parts of the world also easy. One good example would be Canada’s icy northern belt that made it difficult for ships and steamers to cross across the Atlantic for official or tourist purposes. The northwest passage of this route is now free of all ice belts that has made it easier for sea transport. This also holds true for areas around Antarctica, which previously was home to numerous ice-fields.

 

Lesser Deaths

Warmer climates could potentially mean lesser deaths in colder regions, particularly among vulnerable groups such as the ‘elderly’. Colder climates usually lead to more injuries and quicker deaths due to hypothermia. However, with an increase in global warming around the world, the numbers of deaths due to cold climatic conditions has substantially decreased. 

 

Cons

Increased Greenhouse Gases

Increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere such as carbon dioxide, methane, ozone and nitrous oxide can prove to be dangerous and greatly affect temperature levels around the earth. With the increase in these gases, and the burning and consumption of fossil fuels, the earth is 33°C hotter than it should be. This is not only proving to be harmful in terms of plant life, human life and environmental issues, it is also responsible in causing a gaping hole in the ozone layer of the earth, which originally protected the earth from the sun’s harmful radiations. Along with all other effects, greenhouse gases are also responsible for inducing acid rains, abnormal growth of plants and increased contamination of the earth’s atmosphere. 

 

Climatic Catastrophes

Global warming is responsible for most of the devastation caused in the earth’s atmosphere today. From water salinity to thunderstorms, cyclones and floods, all climatic catastrophes have been induced by the increase in global temperatures, according to recent studies. With the polar ice caps melting, and the melting glaciers, the ocean levels are also rising, leading to devastating and catastrophic floods in the low-lying areas and coastal regions. The increase in the greenhouse gases, combined with the depletion of the ozone layer and ice caps, is also responsible in inducing deadly cyclones and forest fires that are growing uncontrollably every year.

 

Oceanic Problems

A pressing concern in the world today is the rapid acidification of the ocean. Various theorists suggest that the increased salinity and the acidification of the sea water is due to the augmented levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases present in the atmosphere that have been absorbed by the water. This not only makes the waters warmer, but also weakens the ocean food chain, with the severe effects of acidification harming fishes and oceanic plant life.

 

Extinction

With the temperatures of the colder regions reducing every year, species like the polar bears, penguins etc who survive only in extreme winter conditions have been brought to the brink of extinction. Similarly, the flora of such regions is also equally threatened. Same is the case of aquatic life also which is threatened not only because of the temperature difference, but also due to the increase in the acidic nature of water bodies across the planet.

Global warming issues function mostly on a ‘cause and effect’ relationship. Although global warming is inevitable, it is in the hands of human beings to learn how to ‘control’ it. With the help of these pros and cons, controlling detrimental global warming effects becomes slightly more manageable.