Is global warming a crisis

Answer 1

Yes. At its worst, assuming we do nothing to alleviate the global warming effect, it could result in disastrous economic consequences and dramatic loss of species on the earth. Fortunately for me, this outcome is not likely within my own lifetime, although I fear for the position of my grandchildren.

Those of us who are past childhood and early adulthood probably have less to fear from the consequences of global warming and can focus on the short-term economic advantages of doing nothing. This is why the higher forecasts for global warming and its effects are probably more realistic. We should therefore expect significant rises in sea levels, which along with increased storm surges will result in inundation of important coastal regions and even the displacement of entire populations. We can expect more prolonged droughts in some areas and more severe flooding in others, neither being conducive to food production.

There is a real possibility that arctic Siberia could warm to the extent of melting the tundra, which sequesters enormous amounts of carbon in frozen vegetation. Once this melts it will rot, emitting enough carbon dioxide to lead to uncontrolled, runaway global warming. If this ever happens, as well it might, humans wil be entirely unable to prevent catastrophic changes.