Global Warming Facts

Every day, many scientific studies are being carried out around the world so that we can learn about the facts of global warming. To date, we have learnt a great deal about global warming, but there is so much more to learn.

Here are some of the known global warming facts. Some of these are quite astounding.

Weather

• Since 1980, Earth has experienced 19 of its 20 hottest years on record. 2005 and 1998 were the hottest, 2002 was second hottest, and 2003 was the third hottest year on record.
• Diseases such as Dengue Fever and Malaria have spread to higher altitude areas. Dengue fever, which was previously limited to 3,300 feet, has recently been detected at 7,200 feet. Also, Indonesia has recently seen cases of Malaria at altitudes never seen before.
• The number of category 4 and 5 storms has increased significantly in the past 35 years.

Sea Levels

• The sea level is rising at a rate of 3 times the historical rate. What's worse is that the rate is accelerating.
• Over the past 100 years, the global sea level has risen by 4 to 8 inches. Scientists currently estimate that by 2100, the sea level will rise by another 19 to 37 inches. Currently, more than 100 million people live within 3 feet of sea level. Some of these people live on islands, and in fact, some have already been forced off their land due to rising sea levels.

Wildlife

• Some penguin popluations in Antarctica have declined by 33 percent over the past 25 years.
• Scientists predict that, at the current rate, 1/4 of Earth’s species will be extinct, or almost extinct, by 2050.
• With ice in the Arctic melting at the current rate, Polar bears may be extinct within 100 years.

Disease & Health

• Diseases such as Dengue Fever and Malaria have spread to higher altitude areas. Dengue fever, which was previously limited to 3,300 feet, has recently been detected at 7,200 feet. Also, Indonesia has recently seen cases of Malaria at altitudes never seen before.
• In 2003, Europe experienced extreme heat waves that caused more than 20,000 deaths.

Land and Ice

• The world's glaciers have been retreating at record pace. At the current rate, all glaciers in Glacier National Park will have disappeared by 2070. Glaciers are a great indicator of climate change. Over history, glaciers have expanded during cooler climates and have retreated during hotter climates. It now seems that all the world's glaciers are retreating - they aren't being given a chance to expand.
• The polar ice cap is now melting at 9% per decade. The thickness of arctic ice has decreased 40 percent since around 1960.