The landscape of the earth swaps in every million or so years. In the past, this prodigious transformation has occurred rather lazily, but now a hurricane seems to have impregnated the deep silences of change and put them in a frenzy. The gossamer stories from around the world, narrate the implorable destiny that climate change has designed for mankind. Take a look at some devastating impacts of global change.
1. Amazon Rain Forest may turn into a desert
The Amazon rainforest is a natural ecological gift for South American Continent. The ongoing deforestation and expansion of agricultural activities is having devastating impact over the savannah. The eastern part of the rainforest is more likely to convert into a seasonal rainforest unlike its natural existence as a savannah. Two most popularly mooted theories regarding this alteration are the “dieback theory” and the other propounded by Yavinder Malhi and his colleagues. The dieback theory states that the global warming will reinstate the status of savannah for Amazon, but Yavinder contemplates that global warming and climate change along with deforestation activities will regress the Amazon into a seasonal rainforest.
2. Sahara Desert may become green
Call it irony or blessing in disguise, The Sahara Desert might metamorphose into a lush green paradise. The region is witnessing increasing rainfall with passing time and even the Satellite view shows the splurging green. Sahel is a semi-desert area that borders the Sahara desert green shoots everywhere. The vegetation in and around western Sudan too are indicative of the rapid changes engulfing the region. Scientists state that warm air has more capacity to hold moisture, which explains the phenomenon of more rain in the desert.
3.Hurricanes may become more devastating than Katrina
Katrina was classified as category 4 hurricane. Trends propose that global warming may give rise to category 5 hurricanes. The devastated picture of the Katrina is still alive in the minds of people of Louisiana. Hurricanes are powered in part by the heat trapped in water, therefore, scientists are correct in speculating that the increasing temperatures in the oceans and seas would rise considerable and yield even more menacing impact.
4. London may disappear underwater by 2100
If we live to see the world in 2100, we might witness an inundated London submerged under sea. Global warming and increase in the temperatures in the seas and oceans pose threat to the coastal cities that might ultimately disappear from land and become a bed for supporting the heavy load of the ocean water. London being one of the major coastal capital cities is intrinsically connected with the world and business; therefore it will have global consequences. The melting ice form Greenland as well as rising sea level would raise the water level by at least 20 feet and would threat New York, Tokyo, etc., along with London.
5. Global warming may increase terrorism
Global warming in many countries will render immigrants as climate migrants. Climate changes will bring about social earthquakes that will force people to abandon their homes and countries to look for refuge in nearby areas or they might have to travel away to far flung areas victimized by climatic displacement. Who knows how much space nations will spare to accommodate the ethnically diverse inflow of aggrieved people. Climatic changes will give rise to high category storms, create water shortages, bring floods in some regions, intensify wildfires, disappearance of natural coastline and so on and so forth.
6.The Alps may melt completely
Famous Tourist destinations get a high footfall every year. With rising incomes, the impulse to see the world around is accentuated. Alps draws many thousands tourists to its beauty and mystical adventures. The mountains act as natural borders between Switzerland and Italy, but with passing time the surface area of the Alps is shrinking and hence the receding Borderline. In fact, the governments of the two countries are devising a new border policy due to the landscape changes due to global warming.
7. Animals may shrink
All living species of animals have evolved for betterment. The body systems have evolved in response to the climatic changes for centuries, but every new stage has refined animals and humans. If you believe man has evolved from apes, then you can definitely appreciate the metamorphosis. Contrary to the refinement theory, climate change is marking the genesis of the retreat in species evolution. The most evident example is the Soay sheep, one of the ancient breeds that was half the average size of a normal sheep is becoming more emaciated with time. The rising winter temperatures discourage the sheep and lamb from putting on more weight and therefore the reason for decline in the average life span of these sheep.
