Will global warming trigger catastrophic climate change and mass human extinction?
Emission of global warming gas is already out of control.
Global warming is not considered a serious problem by people and by the media. A recent survey has showed that 50% of Britons consider global warming a serious threat. It's not possible to change the world without change in people's mind. The climate change will be irreversible if drastic changes are not taken right now. And I don't see our politics wiling to make these important decisions soon. Everybody talks about the economic crisis, but it will be nothing next to the catastrophic events we are heading towards.
Posted by: AnonymousThere could possibly be severe breakdowns.
First, I would like to comment that this question should be phrased “Could,” not “Will.” That said, James Hansen, one of the top atmospheric physicists in the world, has predicted that global warming plus feedback loops could drive the temperature above the boiling point of water, thus evaporating all water on Earth. This would result in total extinction of all life on Earth.
A lesser event would simply be a majority of the food producing regions turning to desert, resulting in Earth only being able to support a few hundred million humans. While not total extinction, that would qualify as “mass extinction.” I am also concerned that ocean acidification could destroy the base of the food chain in the seas, resulting in complete collapse of all sea life. The seas produce 30% of the oxygen on Earth, so lose of sea life could render Earth nearly uninhabitable. The food chain on land would probably collapse as support animals (pollinating insects, birds that spread seeds, etc.) died out. I suppose that some humans could survive in closed-loop sealed communities using aquaculture and solar/wind power, but would that really be sustainable? Could such small biospheres maintain themselves as they start to break down?Posted by: LeithauserToo many co2 emissions
If we do not stop pumping co2 into the air we are all going to die from the effects of global warming. Please do your part and help stop global warming by abandoning fossil fuels and converting to the use of more renewable sources of energy. Our lives depend on it!
Posted by: AnonymousWe are approaching a tipping point of no return if we let global warming continue by failing to change our ways.
We are in danger of reaching a tipping point or point of no return unless we begin to reverse the damage to the planet by changing the behaviors that have led to global warming. The planet is a living, breathing entity, and it is in ill health now. Recovery will take time, so we need to start now or the signs we see now are going to escalate as the 'patient's' vital signs begin to shut down. Then the earth will no longer support any life and will itself die.
Posted by: Th4FireI believe that global warming is a real problem with scientifically backed evidence supporting it, and it could destroy the earth as we know it.
Scientists have determined that carbon levels are rising and contributing to mass climate change and rising water levels. Even small changes can upset the balance of the earth's ecosystems and make life unsustainable. This balance is necessary to provide support for life on earth and if it is upset, many species, including humans, will find conditions may not support life.
Posted by: babyuniqhYes, global warming is already starting to change the climate and causing mass extinction of animal and plant life, so humans are not too far behind.
Climate change is already upon us, and even just a minor shift in the average rainfall of an area, or the rising or lowering of a few degrees in temperature, has caused havoc on the local animal and plant life. Humans can not survive on their own. Without a source of food, entire cities will be wiped out in the resulting war and famine.
Posted by: H_BairdWe are heading towards serious problems that is for sure, but more and more people are taking it all very seriously and are aiming to make changes asap.
Green living is all the rage and is not going to end any time soon. In fact in 50 years although it's estimated that many animals/beings will be extinct, it's also predicted that a curbing of such atrocities will be in place too.
Posted by: Ramon GriffithYes global warming can cause serious hazards on human life and jeopardize our survival.
With the passage of time the climate of the earth is getting hotter. If it is not controlled, it will cause serious survival concerns of the human race. So all necessary efforts must be made to control global warming.
Posted by: IinAshWAKE UP
The only credible source you should be getting your info from is in the scientific community. Period. Better yet talk to a Planetary Scientist at your local University. I've done just that. It'll be the most depressing conversation ever. The scientific EVIDENCE does not lie. How do people think this is still a "debate?" If you don't appreciate scientific values then the conversation is over. Let me put it this way: if you don't value evidence, then what evidence can I provide to prove that you should value it? What else is there to say? How I wish it wasn't so, but we WILL face the greatest catastrophe that mankind has seen in the last 11,000 years. Of course no ones talking about, who wants to?
Posted by: AnonymousI think there is a very real possibility we are already seeing the beginnings of catastrophic climate change.
Considering the events of just the last several weeks, I think there is a good chance that catastrophic climate change is already beginning. In the Midwest right now there is flooding. There have been horrific tornadoes much more often and much earlier than usual. Due to drought and mismanagement of forests, there is currently what will soon be the largest wildfire in Arizona burning, destroying hundreds of thousands of acres of forests. Winters are becoming shorter in many parts of the U.S., also. These are just a few examples of what is already happening, and I'm not seeing any massive efforts by most people to change anything. If these events continue unchecked, the earth will only be able to sustain human life for a limited amount of time. It's time we take a serious look at what needs to be done to slow down the rate of destruction of the planet.
Posted by: TrainLockLong term results on food and soil.
Long term loss of Carbon from fossil fuel, including coal, and SOIL which most forget to the atmosphere, not only leaves lack of energy to MOVE the goods around, but lack of FOOD to even HAVE. It is not just the change of climate, but that change on plants for food, and on pests, and inability to transport what food is made. Just give it 100 years. No diesel to move what food is made or fossil based fertilizers to make it, and the climate will turn places to desert or flood not the more even environment we have seen. Our poor children, grand children and great grandchildren... Not sure there will be great, great grand children.
Posted by: Anonymousyes, not to be too preachy
climate change is an unpredictable phenomena of which we have little knowledge, i believe if we are not drowned by rising water levels or starved by another iceage, we will soon sucumb to our own greed and disregard for the world in which we live.
Posted by: AnonymousAustralopithecine
Cause the human race deserves to die!!!
Posted by: AnonymousGlobal climate disruption
A change as small as 2 or 3 degrees for a long period of time alter more than just how warm it is; it disrupts the very complex climatic systems that give the world its present predictable weather patterns. Oceanic currents and precipitation patterns will be radically altered, in many cases causing rainforests to become deserts or farmland to become arid waste. It takes decades for the ocean's temperature to warm as much as the air. The ocean is where the biggest problems arise. With as smaller difference between the temperature of water at low and high latitudes we will see less north-south currents and less mixing of the water, which will create a scenario in which dissolved gases change dramatically as a function of ocean depth. This creates stagnation, destroying the foundation for complex life forms while promotion the proliferation of hydrogen sulfide-producing bacteria (h2s is extremely poisonous to vertebrates). If your child's temperature rises a few degrees, you know something is very wrong. The same goes for the complex climatology and biosphere of the earth.
Posted by: AnonymousEventually, with or without human intervention, the Earth will become too warm for the human population to survive.
Research proves that the Earth has undergone periods of climate change, which have contributed to the extinction of numerous dominant species in the past, whether they be extreme cold, lengthier periods of light or dark, or extreme heat. It is not only hubris but illogical to believe that even with substantial human intervention, this will not recur some time in the future.
Posted by: 5hurKIug
Global warming may cause climate changes but humans can adapt to them and will not become extinct.
Global warming is happening at an alarming rate, and our climate is changing. But the climate has been changing for the whole history of planet Earth, and coping with climate changes is just another problem that the inhabitants of Earth face. I believe humans will be able to use technology to adapt to changing climate conditions, and may even evolve to interact with the environment in new ways.
Posted by: EImerBuddieI do not believe that global warming will cause catastrophic climate events that will result in mass extinction because there is no scientific data to support these claims.
I believe that as a species humans need to take better care of their environment and surroundings but I do not believe that global warming is a large problem. If anything I think we are currently experiencing a normal climate shift that has occurred historically, even before human presence on the planet. While this climate shift may make life a little more difficult I do not think a mass human extinction will occur. I also do not believe that global warming has any impact on our current climate conditions.
Posted by: VampireShuNO
All this "Scientifically backed" information is based on speculation and is not really proof. And for all we know this change in temperature could be normal, and most likely is. The earth's climate is constantly changing. If you don't believe me google a little some thing called THE ICE AGE (not the stupid childrens movie).
Posted by: 8thgraderingeometrysuckitI disagree with the concept of global warming altogether so human extinction will not occur.
I disagree with the concept that global warming will trigger catastrophic climate change and mass human extinction since there is proof that the earth is not warming. In fact, the last decade or so has actually been cooling, so I don't feel that this will cause mass human extinction.
Posted by: MycCra2iiGlobal warming will not trigger human extinction; we are too diverse and adept at survival.
Global warming might trigger serious climate change, and those changes might kill some people, but not all of us. I am sure that citizens of poor countries will suffer, but they suffer anyway. We will have some warning about this before things happen, and we will have a few preparations in place. Most of the species will survive.
Posted by: FlakyHerb64Global warming will not trigger a catastrophic climate change and mass human destruction, because there would need to be extreme conditions in order for that to happen.
Although global warming is a large concern, and would cause many changes for us here on Earth, there is not enough proof to show that it could cause a catastrophic climate change. Based on weather patterns we see, the media exaggerates the problem, and conditions would have to be severely worse for anything catastrophic to happen. Human destruction would occur earlier through the next world war, versus global warming.
Posted by: eyeslikethatOvercoming Our Environment Through Intelligence
The fact that humans are able to survive in such a vast array of environments leads me to believe that even drastic climatic changes would not lead to human extinction. Through technology we have been able to survive in both deserts and tundras. We can survive on the moon (and in space) by using tools. We have found ways to resist the effects of hurricanes and tornadoes. We are smart and we adapt. Personally, I believe that the changes in climate are cyclic and natural. Even if we hit one extreme, I don't believe it will last, and I believe we can fight our conditions by thinking it through. Anyway, it's not like it's going to be 200 degrees TOMORROW. It's still a gradual thing. There's plenty of time to prepare for any problems we might have.
Posted by: KatieDoodleNo one can be certain what climate change can cause, but it can be devastating.
Scientists can not be certain what climate change will do to our earth. However, it is predicted that global warming can trigger catastrophic events. Because this has not happened before in the past, it is hard to determine how severe the damages will be. The most important thing is to stop global warming before it gets even worse and there are many options modern day technologies have developed to help relieve the epidemic.
Posted by: M4xFace"Climate change" is a blanket term for much more complex issues.
It really depends on how "climate change" is defined. There can and will be catastrophic effects, especially if sea levels rise and super storms are triggered. It remains to be seen if those will become extinction events, however. Saying that also does not diminish the threat either. While extinction may not happen, widespread destruction wrought by storms like Hurricane Katrina is very possible.
Posted by: MarriedRudyGlobal warming is nothing more than the politics of fear.
Is the environment of the world changing? Yes it is changing. Is it due to human intervention? To a certain extent yes, but we are awfully boastful and prideful to think that it is all our fault and that we can fix it. The earth is a great, natural (and in a certain sense living) thing. it runs according to its own cycles and always will. The best that we can do and need to do is live wisely, and the whole global warming issue will be just as non-existent in 100 years as the idea of spontaneous generation is dead today!
Posted by: MariaRClimate change and human activities have already caused mass extinctions.
However, the earth has been constantly changing since it was formed. The movies portray water world if all the earth's ice melts. This is not realistic. First, if all the ice on earth melted (which is very unlikely anytime soon) then sea levels would rise 175-225 feet. The majority of the land on earth is higher than that. In a similar vein, movies like "The Day After Tomorrow" radically exaggerate the possible speed and severity of climate change. We have been fed a bunch of lies.
But, the truth is scary. It's not the sea level that's the problem, it's the reflectivity of the sun's rays and the decreased salinity of the water that have the real potential to cause mass extinctions. However, a human level extinction is another matter. Humans live in the desert and in Alaska. People talk about the cockroach being tough, but they have nothing on us. The doomsday scenarios talk about an unlikely six degrees of climate change. But, that would not kill us off. Our ability to adapt is extreme. We have technology that can grow food on mars and extract water out of the atmosphere. We can walk in space. Any of the worst case scenarios for climate change don't realistically take decades - they take millennia. Over that time-frame, we would find a way to survive pretty much any extreme that has been realistically suggested. The earth has been six degrees hotter before, and six degrees colder before. There was still significant life on earth throughout all of that. So, no, we are not looking at a human level extinction event.Posted by: AnonymousThe exact end effects of global warming is still debatable, but humanity is big enough to survive even the worse.
The exact endgame for global warming is still in debate. The best case is that we have wild weather fluctuations and minor flooding. The worst case we lose a good portion of the world's biggest cities and richest farm lands. Experts don't really agree on where things are truly likely to fall between those possibilities. Even assuming the worst happens, though, global climate change does not have a potential for human extinction. A large portion of the population may die off, but extinction would take a stellar disaster, rather than a terrestrial one.
Posted by: KnownEvanAbsolutely not, global warming is a myth.
Global warming is nothing more then a ploy thought up by a bunch of multimillionaires to make more money, then spear headed by Al Gore because he thinks he knows everything. The average temperature has gone up 1 degree over the last 100 years, that's not that big of a difference. Maybe it's just something the planet is doing on it's own.
Posted by: deceitfulx