Effects of Climate Change on the Environment: A Global Crisis

By Robbie Gould  |  11/04/2024

Climate change isn’t some far-off, theoretical threat we can afford to ignore. It’s already transforming the world around us. Sadly, no part of the planet is being spared from climate hazards such as:

• Heat waves
• Greenhouse gases
• Carbon dioxide emissions
• Extreme precipitation events
• Altered precipitation patterns
• Rising ocean temperatures and hotter temperatures on land
• Dwindling water supplies
• More invasive species

Today’s climate crisis has affected on every corner of the natural world – and it is reshaping ecosystems, shaking up economies, and changing how we go about our daily lives. Some people in coastal communities are watching their homes sink into rising seas, while farmers battle unpredictable weather that throws their entire livelihood into chaos. 

Burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas is at the heart of the problem. Every time we rely on these energy sources, we release more greenhouse gas emissions into the air that trap heat and speed up global warming. This extra heat makes extreme weather events more intense, causes sea levels to rise, and pushes ecosystems toward collapse.

As a result, we need to take more steps to rescue our planet – both today and for the decades to come.

Differentiating Global Warming from Climate Change

Global warming and climate change aren’t the same, although these terms often get used interchangeably. Global warming, for example, is the gradual rise in Earth’s average surface temperature, primarily due to the increased levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

 Climate change, on the other hand, is the changes that come with global warming. Signs of climate change include: 

• Shifting weather patterns
• Stronger storms
• Rising sea levels
• Altered habitats

Climate Change Is Causing Rising Oceans from More Melting Ice Sheets

The delicate equilibrium that once kept our climate stable is now in disarray, and the ripple effects of that change are being felt worldwide. As the Arctic Ocean warms, it sets off a chain reaction – from rising seas to shifting weather patterns – that disrupts ecosystems and human societies alike.

The Arctic is warming at almost four times the global rate, which has led to the rapid melting of glaciers and ice sheets. This slow but steady sea level rise not only poses a threat to Arctic animals – it impacts us all.

For instance, the water from melting glaciers in areas such as Greenland or Antarctica – caused by a warming climate – doesn’t stay there. Meltwater finds its way into the oceans, pushing sea levels higher and higher. 

As sea levels rise, coastal cities like Miami, Jakarta, and Venice must deal with more frequent flooding. Entire island nations are watching their land disappear due to a sea level rise, and low-lying regions are inching closer to disaster.

In the U.S., we’re already seeing “sunny day flooding” where streets in cities like Charleston, South Carolina, and Norfolk, Virginia, flood even when there’s no storm in sight.

Bigger Droughts and Heavier Storms 

If you’ve noticed that weather patterns have become more chaotic lately, you’re not wrong. Climate change turns weather completely on its head and contributes to rising global temperatures. Dry regions are getting drier, and wet regions are drowning in rainfall.

Droughts, once rare, are becoming longer and more severe, while storms are intensifying. Wildfires, like the fires in California or Australia, now burn hotter, faster, and longer, leaving only scorched earth and memories in their wake. 

Similarly, flash floods, tropical storms, and heavy rains are becoming more frequent. For example, there have been devastating disasters like the extreme rainfall that caused the 2022 floods in Pakistan, which left nearly 33 million people (about a third of the country) underwater. In addition, the flooding disturbed the country's supply of drinking water.

Similarly, heat waves are becoming more frequent and intense. As a result, the increased heat has caused health crises in cities – especially in developing countries – that are ill-prepared to deal with heat waves that involve prolonged periods of extreme heat. 

Upheavals to Natural Ecosystems Due to a Changing Climate

The natural world is resilient, but it’s not invincible. Climate change, fossil fuels, and greenhouse gases have pushed many ecosystems past their breaking point.

Take coral reefs, for example. These vibrant underwater growths are crucial for marine life, but warmer temperatures as the result of the climate crisis are causing mass bleaching events.

Without the right conditions, the corals die off. The destruction and death of coral, in turn, affects the entire food chain. Fish populations drop, and the livelihoods of people who depend on fishing are threatened. 

Forests aren’t faring much better due to climate change. Higher temperatures are allowing pests like bark beetles to thrive, decimating entire swaths of trees in places like the American West.

Meanwhile, species that have evolved to thrive in specific climates can’t always adapt to rapid climate change. Sadly, when one species goes, others follow – it's a domino effect of extinction. 

Food Insecurity as the Result of Climate Change

Agriculture is another victim of climate change. Farming has always been at the mercy of the weather, but now that weather is less predictable.

Droughts, heat waves, and floods are making it harder to grow crops and raise livestock. In some regions, once-fertile land is turning to desert and leading to dwindling water supplies, while in others, storms are wiping out entire growing seasons. 

Farmers are struggling with a shifting climate change, and it's the small, family-run farms that often bear the brunt of changes in our climate.

Many of these farms don’t have the financial resources to adapt to change, leaving them vulnerable to crop failures and financial ruin. As climate change disrupts food production, prices increase, and food insecurity worsens.

Climate Change and the Toll on Human Health and Society 

Rising global temperatures due to climate change are doing more than just making summers unbearable – they're helping diseases to spread and taking a heavy toll on human health. Climate change allows mosquitoes, ticks, and other pests that thrive in heat and humidity to creep into places they’ve never been before, bringing illnesses like malaria and Lyme disease with them.

Meanwhile, intense extreme weather events have forced millions of people to flee their homes. This byproduct of climate change has created a wave of refugees as rising seas, droughts, and floods make entire regions unlivable. 

The economic toll resulting from climate change, greenhouse gases, and heat waves is also staggering. Billions of dollars are being lost to flood damage, failed crops, and health crises.

Although wealthy nations are better able to cope with the cost of a climate change, developing countries with fewer financial resources are not. Natural disasters are causing poorer countries to suffer and that suffering will get worse as climate changes speed up. 

Solving Climate Change Problems through Adaptation and Mitigation 

So, what can we do to change the current and future impacts of climate change in our warming world? The tough reality is that many of the problems connected to climate change are difficult to alter due to past greenhouse gas emissions. Even if factories stopped emitting carbon dioxide tomorrow, some effects would still be apparent over the coming decades.

However, that doesn’t mean we’re out of options when it comes to solving climate change issues. Adaptation is critical. Communities across the globe are finding ways to cope with climate changes by building flood-resistant infrastructure, planting drought-tolerant crops, or restoring wetlands to serve as natural buffers against storm surges.

On a larger scale, we must mitigate existing climate change problems and continue reducing greenhouse gas emissions to avoid more extreme consequences. Shifting to renewable energy, investing in green tech, reducing our dependence on fossil fuels, and encouraging international cooperation over the next few decades are all steps in the right direction. 

Climate change is a test of our resilience and how well we can adapt in a world that’s transforming fast. The challenges are significant, but the solutions are available if we act with urgency and purpose. 

Environmental Science Degrees at American Military University

For interested students who want to tackle today’s environmental challenges like climate change, environmental protection, resource management, renewable energy, and policy development, American Military University (AMU) offers two degrees:

• An online bachelor's degree in environmental science
• An online master of science in environmental policy and management

The bachelor’s degree focuses on practical, science-based solutions to environmental issues, while the master’s degree dives deeper into policy and strategic leadership.

Courses in these online programs include topics such as water science, soil science, environmental economics, and sustainability. Other topics include environmental and ecosystems management, environmental ethics, and global environmental change, as well as environmental policy, regulation, and law.

These courses are taught by experienced instructors with a wide knowledge of environmental issues. For more information about these degrees, visit our science degree program page.