Extreme weather events are happening frequently due to detrimental effects of climate change
Scientists have observed that during the twentieth century, the mean global surface temperature of the earth has increased by 0.6 degree Celcius. They also observed that since 1860 (the year when temperature began to be recorded systematically), the 1990s have been the warmest decade.
Consequences of climate
Climate change can have disastrous consequences on the earth. The steady increase in annual average temperatures on the earth is causing the melting of polar ice caps and mountain glaciers. For most glaciers worldwide, an average volume loss of 60 % by 2050 is predicted. This is likely to raise sea levels across the globe. Rise in sea levels means that several inhabited islands, and coastal areas will be inundated and thus, become unfit to live in. in the 1990s, a variety of estimates placed the total number of environmental refugees at around 25 million.
The intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimated that 150 million environmental refugees will exist in the year 2050, mainly due to the effects of coastal flooding, shoreline erosion and agricultural disruption.
Retreating glaciers have a direct impact on the human life. They are likely to cause floods and when they disappear, completely, they are likely to cause serve drought. Most rivers in the Indian subcontinent are fed by glaciers. They are all likely to face drastic consequences in the next 50 years because of the ill-effects of climate change.
Extreme weather events like earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, droughts and hurricanes are predicted to increase due to the detrimental effects of climate change. The loss of life and property can be huge and the need for the disaster preparedness becomes imperative in such scenarios.
Rising temperatures around the world have caused heat waves, forest fires, and a spread of diseases that were otherwise seen only in warm climate.
Mitigation of these changes in climate and adaptation to these inevitable changes that are definitely going to occur in future are some of the biggest challenges that the governments around the world face today.