Impact of Climate Change

                

As the only state in the United States that is an island, Hawaii is undoubtedly quite vulnerable to changes in climate. Scientific evidence suggests such impacts of climate change (lists shown below) are likely to continue into the future.

These following impacts are specifically for the state Hawaii:

1)Biosphere- This list includes the possible impacts from climate change on living things.

• Coral reef bleaching
• The death of coral reefs
• Negative impacts on human health (possible heat related illnesses in people like dengue fever or cholera )
• Negative impact on the lives of humans, death is possible
• Destruction of plants
• Destruction of crops
• Loss of fish
• Loss of animals
• Marine migration
• Human migration
• Will cause stress to the native Pacific Island plants and animals
• The open ocean fisheries will decline
• There will be an increase risk of extinctions
• Destruction of forests and trees (less oxygen for humans)

Destruction of Crops

Coral reef bleaching

Marine Migration

2)Atmosphere-This list includes the effects of climate change on the atmosphere.

• Rising air temperatures will cause the atmosphere to be warmer
• Debris will cause the atmosphere to become polluted
• Decrease in trade winds
• Too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

Warm air, hot atmosphere

                                                        

Polluted Atmosphere

3)Lithosphere-This list includes the different types of results from climate change on the lithosphere

• Coastal erosion
• Possibility of droughts
• Destruction of beaches
• Loss of land
• Destruction of the soil, mountains and roads



Destruction of beaches

Coastal Erosion

                                                               
                                                                 
4)Hydrosphere-This list includes the circumstances that can happen to bodies of water because of climate change.

• Warmer oceans
• Sea level rising
• Coastal flooding.
• Ocean acidification
• Saltwater intrusion causing contamination of drinking water
• Decreasing streams or other bodies of water
• Loss of fresh water for human purposes
• Water bodies becoming polluted

Ocean Acidification (from CO2 in atmosphere)

Coastal Flooding