National Geographic Traveler magazine recently featured a full exposé on global warming, climate change, and how it will affect travel and tourism. This was a great series, but unfortunately it is not available online. So I will post a series of articles that covers the evidence they’ve gathered, plus some. Today, I present the emerging signs of climate change as they manifest themselves in weather patterns. Below are a few examples of how changing weather conditions are already causing problems around the world, and some possible weather-related threats on the horizon. If you don’t believe global warming is real–if you think it’s just a “trend”–here are some examples of how it is making real problems in our world. If you don’t think finding environmentally sustainable ways of living is an important thing to do, here is why it is:
Arizona – Global warming computer models project rainfall problems. An eight-year drought consistent with global warming has no immediate end in sight, and may cause water shortages for Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada.
State Could Impose Water Restrictions [Associated Press]
Canada – Arctic winters have warmed by 4° Fahrenheit. In 2003, the Ward Hunt Ice Shelf on Ellesmere Island–once 150 feet thick, and 3,000 years old–broke up.
Arctic Ice Shelf Splits [BBC]
Himalayas – Glacial melting in the Himalaya causes flooding downstream and disrupts agriculture and ecosystems throughout India, Tibet, Nepal, and China.
Himalayan Glaciers ‘Melting Fast’ [China Daily]
Holland – Dutch cities like Amsterdam sit on such a sophisticated network of dikes and water gates that increased rainfall on the Rhine River, and glacial runoff from the Alps, pose a serious flood threat.
Global Warming Poses Threat to Dutch [Reuters]
Mediterranean – Tourist-packed beaches are experiencing record numbers of 100°-plus heatwaves. Most recently, hundreds of thousands of jellyfish washed ashore, killed by high temperatures.
Spain’s Beaches, Flora Feel The Heat [CBS News]
Siberia – As arctic lakes dry up and icy tundra melts away, greenhouse gases are released that may intensify global warming even further.
Climate Warning as Siberia Melts [New Scientist]
Part I: How Weather Patterns Are Changing Worldwide
Part II: The Threat Posed By Rising Sea Levels
Part III: What You Should Know About Species Extinction
Part IV: How Global Warming is Changing the Face of Our Icons
Part V: The Unforeseen Effect on Public Policy
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You know, one thing that I always try to add to this debate is that it’s a waste of time arguing over whether global warming is a result of human activity. I mean, to me the evidence is incontrovertible, but those who continue to point to the “periods of cooling and warming as a natural process of geologic time” are little Dutch boys. This planet is warming! Sea levels will rise! Even if it’s not your SUV’s fault, we should be acting on the evidence to preserve our ability to survive on this planet.