Climate Change in 2030: What to Expect
Climate Change in 2030: Will it be More Devastating or Mitigated?
Climate change is one of the issues that the majority of the world’s population gravely overlook, even if there’s already an awareness of how problematic it can be. We are still burning fossil fuel, cutting down forests, and polluting our environment like they are nothing. As a result, our actions have led the earth’s temperature to increase, the ozone layer to deplete, and the snow and the mountains to melt. If it goes on like this, like Stephen Hawking once predicted, humanity may only have 600 years, or actually even less, before the planet gets inhabitable.
Okay, we’re not going to stroll very far in time to see how challenging climate change may be to our coming generations. In this article, we’re going to look into the imminent future: What can we expect regarding climate change in 2030?
We May Reach the 1.5 Degree Average Temperature Rise Threshold
In the paper, the world’s average temperature rising by more than the 1.5-degree celsius doesn’t sound too much. However, the reality is far from our perception of the numbers.
Say the world’s temperature rises a little above 1.5 degree- say 2-degree celsius. If that happens, we’ll have to face regular droughts due to infrequent rain, which will cause our agricultural system to collapse. If that isn’t enough, the ocean levels will then rise by a huge margin. This translates to more natural disasters like floods and cyclones. In the worst-case scenarios, the rising sea level could cause some islands to drown and other tropical cities to be inhabitable. Not to mention wildfires and extinction of various wildlife, which will cause even more damage to the world’s ecosystem.
According to scientists and pioneers, with the rate that we have been burning fuels, we’re already halfway of reaching the two-degree celsius rise. However, we’ll have to be extremely careful. Or, till some extent, we have to be lucky to avoid the temperature rise by 1.5 degrees celsius by 2030.
Ice Caps will Melt, and the Sea Levels Will Continue to Rise
Glaciers, ice caps, and ice sheets will continue melting. In turn, this will increase the sea levels by 0.3m to 0.6m on average. Moreover, some ice sheets may completely dissolve in the water with no point of turning back.
The rising sea levels that we can expect because of the climate change in 2030 means more natural disasters. Floods, tsunamis, hurricanes and cyclones will make the news more often. Furthermore, as the sea level won’t distribute evenly throughout the world, some countries and cities are at more risk than the others. People in Bangladesh, Vietnam and Seychelles may have a very hard time in the coming years if the world is unable to address the climate change.
However, these three countries aren’t the only ones who are at risk. Tropical cities like Miami, Kolkata, Shanghai, Bangkok. Etc., may be the hotspots for natural disasters like hurricanes and cyclones. Remember, hurricanes in the coming times will be slower and stronger because of warmer oceans. The rains will be more frequent around the world, and there will be more moisture.
All in all, extreme weather is going to be more regular around the world.
We Will Lose Many Animals and Humans
Around 55% of the species inside the oceans will be affected by the rising sea levels. Some species could go completely extinct because of the continuation of climate change in 2030.
Species like polar bears, ringed seals, koala bears, Monarch butterflies, and many others are at high risk of going extinct. Other species like bumblebees, Asian elephants, sharks, and whales will continue having hard times because of climate change in 2030. Even if they aren’t yet endangered, we can’t say about the worst things that can happen in the future
With climate change, wildfires will occur more frequently. This means animals in many forests may die out. With the Amazon rainforest on the risk of being as bare as Savannah, we’ll have less oxygen in the air.
Finally, with poorer air quality, more people will have heart and respiratory problems. Furthermore, with the lack of clean water, water-borne diseases may increase. And with this drastic change affecting crops as well, people will have more limited access to healthy food. These causes will result in more terminal illnesses and eventually, death.
Some Are Taking Steps Against Climate Change in 2030
Indeed, we’ve had a lot of shortcomings when it comes to addressing climate change. Fortunately, people are waking up and actions are being taken bit by bit. If we continue being proactive with our environment, we may be able to control climate change significantly. However, tackling the problem completely in the next decades takes more than just mere baby steps.
The Paris Convention on December 2015 saw countries come together with a collective aim of avoiding the world temperature to increase by more than 2-degree celsius. Other conventions amplify awareness further with climate action plans that can minimize the effects of climate change.
Furthermore, people themselves are becoming more concerned about the environment. The increase of the sales of green energy sources and electric cars are just some examples. We will see less use of fossil fuels in the coming days.
It’s Up to Every One Of Us
The situation of climate change in 2030 can be full of hazards if we don’t take action now. However, it isn’t only up to the government and world organizations to make plans or solve global warming. We have to do everything that we can to help our environment heal- every little step we take counts. The best thing we can do for now is to stay away from non-renewable sources of energy as much as we can. We also have to take care of natural resources like water and even the air.
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