Page 67 - (DK) Danger! Open with Extreme Caution!

Once the world gets just 3.6°F (2°C) 4 Strike 4—Rising sea levels 6 Strike 6—unsteady earth
warmer, there may be no going
back. The loss of Arctic ice is already Due to melting ice at the poles, sea levels could Melting ice means rising sea levels.
replacing reflective white with dark rise by up to 6 ft (2 m) in the next 30 years. This Scientists predict that this could trigger
ocean waters that absorb more heat,
thereby speeding up global warming. is high enough to swamp the homes of more than volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis,
150 million people living in the Nile, Mississippi, and underwater landslides. In 1967, after
and Bengal river deltas. Salt water is already the Koyna reservoir in India was filled
contaminating the underground freshwater with 8 billion cu. ft (2.5 billion cu. m) of water,
supplies of cities such as Shanghai in China, the pressure on the ground led to the region’s
Mumbai in India, and Bangkok in Thailand. first earthquake, in which 200 people died.

5 5 Strike 5—Ice Age 7 Strike 7—Ecosystems
The collapse of the ice sheets could trigger As Earth keeps warming, many
changes in ocean current systems, such as species will struggle to survive
the Gulf Stream in the Atlantic. This warms in the regions that they now
northern Europe and prevents the bitter inhabit. For example, many
winters that are common in places such flowering plants cannot
as Canada and eastern Siberia. If fresh bloom without a long period 6
water coming from the melting of winter cold to rejuvenate
poles cuts off the Gulf Stream, them, and some fish species
it could lead to a mini ice are already moving north
age in Europe like that in search of cooler waters.
of the 15th and With a predicted rise of 3.6˚F
18th centuries, (2˚C), the warming oceans
when the River and increased acidity could
Way to go, son!
Thames froze kill many of the world’s
regularly. tropical coral reefs.
over by it all.
Is it just me or is it getting warm
in here? I’m feeling a bit bowled

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CLIMATE CHANGE 67
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