How Will Climate Change Affect Us?

Climate change is more than a warming trend. Increasing temperatures will lead to changes in many aspects of weather, such as wind patterns, the amount and type of precipitation, and the types and frequency of severe weather events that may be expected to occur in an area.

Not all regions of the world will be affected equally by climate change. Low-lying and coastal areas face the risks associated with rising sea levels. Increasing temperatures will cause oceans to expand (water expands as it warms), and will melt glaciers and ice cover over land – ultimately increasing the volume of water in the world's oceans. Scientists estimate that sea levels could rise by an average of 5 cm per decade over the next 100 years. Some estimates suggest that sea levels could rise by almost a full meter by the year 2100.

Scientists have also determined that warming will be greater in polar regions than nearer to the equator, and that continental interiors will experience greater warming than coastal areas. This has serious implications for sensitive polar ecosystems, their wild species and the human inhabitants. Interior regions may face more frequent and intense heat waves.

Read more about how climate change affects us all (PDF, 432 KB).