Pollution

Global warming is due to an enhanced ‘greenhouse effect’
This enhanced effect is caused by an increase in ‘greenhouse’ gases in the atmosphere.
Predicting the exact effects of an increase in global temperature is very difficult.
There are many possible biological and ecological consequences of increasing temperature or Global Warming.
It is expected that greater warming will occur at the poles more than the equator and this will effect atmospheric circulation patterns which are dependent on the temperature differences between these two areas.
Regional rainfall patterns may also be drastically altered, which will change the patterns of world food production.
Sea levels will rise due to -

No one is certain how quickly it will rise but for the UK, an estimate of 0.3m to 0.6m by the year 2050.

The following table summarise these and other possible effects, some are even beneficial.

Key:- change increase leading to decrease

Increasing temperature	sea level (melting of ice and thermal expansion of water)		coastal erosion			habitat loss e.g. marshes, dunes, mangroves and coral reefs.
			salinisation (more salty) of estuaries, coastal rivers and soils
	temperature freshwaters		species distribution including local extinction
	pattern of succession due to temperature and this will favour some species more than others.
	rainfall pattern e.g.intensity and frequency (climate change)storms			distribution of grasslands and savannahs and drying out of wetlands
	Northern migration of boreal (evergreen/coniferous) forest
	Forest productivity	temp was a limiting factor to growth
	Forest productivity		Desiccation (drying out), causing wilting, defoliation and — fires.
	Agricultural production		yields from crops although the overall quality may be lower.
	water or temperature stress to animals		resistance to opportunistic pests/disease e.g. coral reef organisms
	in pests and disease		Pests and disease will move to new geographical areas e.g. spread of malaria
	glacial melting at poles		Dramatic in food webs		productivity and biodiversity e.g. penguin populations

These are dealt with in detail in the Climate Change section.

The BBC have created a Series of pictures to show how global warming may have changed the environment.
Do you think they are all a direct result of global warming?
There is a website devoted to the Effects of Global Warming.
The author clearly has the view that Global Warming is a very serious problem.

Evidence against global warming – is it a myth?
This following Australian website gives a comprehensive list of resources. Those discussing evidence against Global Warming can be found near the middle of the long scrolling page.
Draw up a table for evidence ‘for’ and ‘against’. Is it a myth?

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