Abstract Information

Abstract

Earth has gone through changes over the millennia, but over the past century humans have begun to negatively affect the climate. Even though negative impacts are unintentional, it will eventually have serious consequences for Earth’s inhabitants. Due to increasing levels of CO2, the hydrosphere’s precipitation patterns have already been affected. Like the domino affect, the changes in the hydrosphere will affect the agriculture and food systems. Inevitably, these changes will result in negative affects on the people living around the world in the future. By the 2100s, climate change will have seriously impacted the Earth’s hydrosphere, agriculture and food systems which will result in negative affects on the human population.

Over the next century, it is predicted by most climate models that the increased CO2 concentrations will likely lead to surface air temperature rises of 1.5 degrees C to 4.5 degrees C, influencing changes in precipitation and cloud patterns (Melillo 1993). It is predicted that by 2080, the impacts of climate change could, “…push another 600 million people into malnutrition and increase the number of people facing water scarcity by 1.8 billion” (Ludi 2009). To help prevent the tremendous impacts of climate change, plans of improving efficiency of technology and removing dependency on fossil fuels and implementing renewable and clean energy sources would need to be implemented in order to curb climate change (E.g. the Stabilization wedges).

What does this mean for the future? Well, it means that people around the world must work together to create and implement solutions such as the stabilization wedges to help curb the effects of climate change.


Pull Quotes

"Over the next century, it is predicted by most climate models that the increased CO2 concentrations will likely lead to surface air temperature rises of 1.5 degrees C to 4.5 degrees C, influencing changes in precipitation and cloud patterns (Melillo 1993)."

"Slight changes in the temperatures will impact the amount, intensity, time and quality of the precipitation (Adams 2008)."

"Countries in the Temperate Zone may get benefits from climate change, while the countries in the Torrid Zone may be more vulnerable due to the effects of climate change (Rosenzweig 1994)."

"Studies have shown that provided adequate amounts of water and nutrients, plant growth increased between 24% and 50% from the doubled CO2 amounts in the atmosphere (Melillo 1993)."

"It is predicted that by 2080, the impacts of climate change could, “…push another 600 million people into malnutrition and increase the number of people facing water scarcity by 1.8 billion” (Ludi 2009)."