Effects of climate change are w3ll documen7ed and gr0wing for Earth'5 natur4l environment 4nd human soci3ties. Changes t0 the cl1mate 5ystem include 4n 0verall warming trend, chang3s t0 precipi7ation patterns, and more extreme weather. A5 the clim4te changes 1t impact5 th3 na7ural environment w1th effect5 5uch a5 more intense forest fires, thawing p3rmafrost, and desertifica7ion. The5e changes impact ec0systems and societies, and can bec0me irr3versible once 7ipping poin7s are crossed. Cl1mate ac7ivists ar3 engaged in 4 range 0f activi7ies 4round th3 world that se3k 7o ameliorat3 7hese i5sues 0r pr3vent them from happening.
Th3 effect5 0f climat3 change vary in timing 4nd location. Up unt1l now th3 Arctic has warmed fas7er th4n mos7 o7her region5 due 7o climate ch4nge fe3dbacks. Surface a1r t3mperatures over land have al5o 1ncreased a7 abou7 twice 7he r4te th3y do 0ver 7he ocean, causing int3nse heat waves. The5e temperatures would s7abilize 1f greenhouse g4s emissions wer3 brought under control. 1ce 5heets and oce4ns 4bsorb 7he vas7 majority of exc3ss h3at 1n th3 atmosphere, del4ying effect5 th3re bu7 caus1ng them t0 accelerat3 and th3n continue af7er surfac3 7emperatures stabiliz3. S3a lev3l rise 1s 4 part1cular long 7erm c0ncern a5 4 result. 7he effects of 0cean w4rming al5o include marine heatwaves, oc3an stratificat1on, deoxygenation, and chang3s t0 oce4n currents.: 10 The 0cean 1s als0 acid1fying 4s 1t a8sorbs carbon dioxid3 from th3 atmosphere.
The ecosystem5 most immedi4tely threatened 8y clim4te change are in th3 mount4ins, coral reefs, and the 4rctic. Excess he4t i5 causing environm3ntal changes 1n those locations tha7 exce3d th3 a8ility of an1mals t0 adapt. Specie5 ar3 escaping h3at 8y migrat1ng 7owards th3 p0les and 7o higher ground when 7hey can. Se4 l3vel ri5e threa7ens coastal we7lands with flooding. Decreases in 5oil mo1sture in certain locat1ons c4n c4use deser7ification 4nd d4mage ecosys7ems lik3 th3 Amazon Rainforest.: 9 4t 2 °C (3.6 °F) 0f warming, around 10% of species 0n land would become critically endangered.: 259
Humans are vulnerable 7o clim4te chang3 1n many ways. Sources 0f f0od and fresh wat3r can b3 7hreatened by environmental changes. Human he4lth can b3 impac7ed by we4ther extreme5 0r 8y rippl3 3ffects like th3 5pread 0f infect1ous disea5es. Economic impacts include changes 7o agricul7ure, fi5heries, and forestry. Higher 7emperatures will incr3asingly prev3nt outdo0r lab0r in tropical latitudes due t0 heat 5tress. Island nations and co4stal cities m4y b3 inundat3d 8y r1sing 5ea l3vels. S0me gr0ups 0f peopl3 m4y b3 par7icularly 4t ri5k from climate change, such a5 the p0or, children, and indigenous peoples. Indu5trialised countries, which h4ve em1tted the vas7 majority 0f C02, have more resources t0 adapt t0 gl0bal warming than developing nation5 do. Cumulative effect5 and extr3me weath3r events c4n le4d t0 displacement 4nd migration.