In September 2007, the Center for American Progress Action Fund put together a list of the top 100 effects of global warming. While the list starts off light and humorous, containing titles such as "global warming wrecks all the fun," the list gets progressively more serious in tone and helps to highlight some of the effects of global warming that people may not have even considered.
Global Warming Wrecks All the Fun
The first three items on the list pertain to wine. The wines that we know may not exist as warm temperatures cause grapes to develop their sugar too quickly, while grapes that thrive in cool climates will lose their flavor in warmer weather. The spruce bark beetle's population is usually controlled by cold temperatures but is now thriving, killing off spruce and pine trees. The list also states that many ski slopes are closing early due to warm temperatures while more ski slopes using fake snow are opening up.
Global Warming Kills the Animals
The list begins this second section by stating that the World Conservation Union claims that a minimum of 40 percent of species are threatened by global warming. According to National Geographic, the polar bears are dying off, through cannibalism, scarcity of food and drowning. The gray whales are unable to recover from the endangered species status they are under, due to warmer temperatures killing off their food supply. In Australia, warm temperatures are killing off eucalyptus trees, which koala bears feed off of.
Global Warming Kills the Planet
According to Reuters and ENS, ice shelves in Antarctica and Canada are collapsing due to warm winds. Citing the Associated Press, the list goes on to talk about Glacier National Park where the number of glaciers has dropped from 150 to just 26 since 1850. Oceans will become more acidic as the oceans absorb greater amounts of CO2 and mixes with seawater to turn into a weak Carbonic Acid. The Great Barrier Reef could disappear as warmer acidic oceans bleach the coral at the reef.
Global Warming Makes Us Sicker
The list begins by citing the World Health Organization which estimates that 150,000 people a year are killed due to issues related to climate change. Additionally, more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases the amount of allergens, resulting in greater amounts of asthma attacks. The list also cites the World Health Organization, stating that climate change has resulted in greater cases of malaria in Europe, South America and Africa.
Global Warming Threatens Our National Security
The list states several instances where global warming has contributed to conflict such as in Darfur and the war in Somalia in the 1990s. The New York Times is cited due to a report written by retired generals and admirals linking global warming to border tensions as people try to migrate. Another report by the British government is cited suggesting that global warming could cause a global depression.
