The Earth's climate system has undergone significant changes over time, with evidence of global warming impacts on earth's temperature becoming increasingly apparent. Scientific data shows concerning trends in rising temperatures and sea levels that affect both natural ecosystems and human societies.
Global temperature graphs spanning the past million years reveal that current warming is occurring at an unprecedented rate. While Earth has experienced natural climate fluctuations throughout its history, the current rate of warming far exceeds historical patterns. Modern instrumental records show that average global temperatures have increased by approximately 1.1°C since pre-industrial times, with most of this warming occurring in the past 40 years. This warming trend is supported by multiple lines of evidence, including satellite data, weather station records, ocean temperature measurements, and the dramatic loss of Arctic sea ice. The temperature of Earth in Celsius continues to break records, with the past decade being the warmest on record.
One of the most significant consequences is sea level rise, which poses a major threat to coastal communities worldwide. The three causes of sea level rise are thermal expansion of warming ocean waters, melting glaciers, and ice sheet loss in Greenland and Antarctica. Current projected sea level rise by 2100 ranges from 0.3 to 2.5 meters, depending on future emissions scenarios. Historical records show that sea levels have risen by about 20 centimeters over the past century, with the rate of rise accelerating in recent decades to approximately 3.6 millimeters per year. This has profound implications for coastal infrastructure, agriculture, and human migration patterns. Effects of rising sea levels on humans include increased flooding, coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion into freshwater aquifers, and the potential displacement of millions of people living in low-lying areas. These impacts are already being observed in vulnerable regions and are expected to intensify as global temperatures continue to rise.