Climate Change is Happening – Point Reyes National Seashore (U.S. National Park Service)

The Impact of Global Warming: A Report on Climate Change

Introduction

In 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued its Fourth Assessment Report, which highlighted the alarming concentration of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere. This report concluded that global warming is unequivocally happening and attributed it to human emissions of greenhouse gases. The consequences of global warming include melting glaciers, rising stream temperatures, coastal erosion, and changes in weather patterns leading to droughts and heatwaves. These findings emphasize the urgent need to address climate change and work towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report

In 2013 and 2014, the IPCC released its Fifth Assessment Report, reaffirming the human influence on climate change. The report stated that recent anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases are the highest in history and have had widespread impacts on human and natural systems. It also highlighted unprecedented changes in the climate system, such as warming of the atmosphere and ocean, diminishing snow and ice, and rising sea levels. These findings further emphasize the importance of taking action to mitigate climate change and achieve the SDGs.

The IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report

In 2021, the IPCC published its Sixth Assessment Report’s Working Group I Report titled “Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis.” This report confirmed that human influence has unequivocally warmed the atmosphere, ocean, land, cryosphere, and biosphere. It also highlighted the unprecedented scale of recent changes across the climate system and their impacts on weather and climate extremes worldwide. These findings underscore the urgency of addressing climate change and its effects on achieving the SDGs.

Record-Breaking Temperatures

In 2012, the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) declared it as the warmest year in the contiguous United States since temperature records began. The average temperature for 2012 was significantly above the 20th-century average, indicating a concerning trend. In January 2022, the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) reported that 2021 was the fourth-warmest year on record in the contiguous United States. These record-breaking temperatures highlight the ongoing trend of global warming and its implications for the environment and human well-being.

Long-Term Trends

Climate experts recognize that temperature fluctuations over one or two years are not as significant as long-term trends. However, the record temperatures observed in recent years, such as in 2016, 2020, and 2012, raise concerns about the continuous warming trend. The World Meteorological Organisation reported that 13 of the 14 warmest years on record occurred from 2001 to 2013. Furthermore, the warmest seven years on record have all been since 2015, with each decade being warmer than the previous one. These long-term trends highlight the urgent need to address climate change and work towards achieving the SDGs.

Predicted Impacts and Adaptation

Scientists predict that global warming will lead to more extreme weather events, increased public health risks, reduced snowfall, and drinking water shortages. These changes will have profound consequences for ecosystems, habitats, wildlife, cultural structures, and artifacts within national parks. To mitigate these impacts and adapt to the new circumstances, it is crucial to take action and make sustainable choices for the future. By aligning efforts with the SDGs, we can work towards a more sustainable and resilient future.

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SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters.
   • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.
   • Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning.
   • Target 13.4: Implement the commitment undertaken by developed countries to mobilize $100 billion annually by 2020 for mitigation and adaptation in developing countries.
   • Target 13.5: Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing states.

   The article discusses global warming, climate change, and its impacts, which are directly related to SDG 13 – Climate Action. The targets mentioned in the article are relevant to the issues discussed, such as strengthening resilience, integrating climate change measures into policies, improving education and awareness, and mobilizing financial resources for mitigation and adaptation.

2. SDG 15: Life on Land

   • Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services.
   • Target 15.2: By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests, and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally.
   • Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity, and protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.

   The impacts of climate change discussed in the article, such as melting glaciers, changes in weather patterns, and coastal erosion, have direct implications for terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity. SDG 15 – Life on Land is relevant to address these issues. The targets mentioned in the article focus on the conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of ecosystems and forests, as well as the protection of biodiversity.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: nps.gov

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