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15 Alarming Facts About Global Warming

Global warming is a disturbing problem in the modern day. Temperatures are on an upward trend with each passing year. For instance, 2022 was ranked among the top 6 warmest years since 1880.

What’s more, the effects of the menace impact every aspect of life on Earth. With the sharp rise in temperatures marine life is disrupted. On dry land, agricultural yields and water sources keep declining.

The result is a polluted atmosphere, threatening the survival of any life. Read on for more understanding of Global warming and its disturbing effects.

Scary Facts about Climate Change

Here are the 15 Worrying Facts About Global Warming.

1. Global warming is contributed by human activities

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Burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas results in high emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases. The most frequent of these gases are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and water vapor.

With increased transportation activities and efforts to generate electricity, the release of these greenhouse gases keeps going high.

Subsequently, it increases the Earth’s surface temperature and hence global warming. Deforestation is another human activity that contributes to global warming by a large percentage.

2. Global warming has increased ocean temperatures

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Oceans are the recipients of the excess heat by greenhouse gas emissions. This is according to a 2013 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

3. Ocean water is increasing in acidity

Gases such as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are absorbed by forests (plants) and ocean water. Hence it has affected the ocean acidity levels. This is a danger to the aquatic life of plants and animals.

4. The global sea level is on the rise

Global warming has caused a rise in sea levels. Since 1880, the global average sea level rose by about 8–9 inches. Every year, the sea level is estimated to rise by 0.13 inches.

According to climate experts, the global sea level is expected to rise by one foot by 2050. Sea levels swell because of melting water from glaciers and ice sheets. Also due to the expansion of seawater as it warms.

Increased sea levels pose the danger of destructive erosion and flooding in low-lying areas. It can also lead to a loss of habitat for fish, birds, and plants.

5. Global warming has decreased Arctic sea ice

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According to NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), Arctic sea ice shrinks by 13% every decade. This report was based on findings between the years 1979 and 2021.

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6. Temperatures are on an upward trend

Reports by NOAA ranked 2022 as the sixth warmest year since 1880. In the same respect, NASA listed 2022 as the fifth warmest year.  NASA’s method concluded that 2022’s degree of warmth was a tie with 2015.

Besides minor differences scientists agree that in 2022 there was a temperature spike of about 1.6 degrees Fahrenheit (0.89 degrees Celsius). This record is above the average since 1880.

7. Global warming has led to water scarcity

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Water is a crucial resource for organisms’ life. Hence the rising sea levels due to global warming as pointed out earlier cause fresh water to become salty. Thus resulting in water shortage and or compromising the freshwater depended on by many people, animals, and plants.

The ripple effect is declined agricultural yields. Later food insecurity is inevitable which in the worst-case scenario may end up in malnutrition

8. Rising temperatures are a trigger to disease transmission

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that rising temperatures increase the spread of disease-causing fungi. The fungi that inhabit hot regions have the chance to thrive in areas that were considered cold. Because such parts have become hot due to global warming.

A suitable case is Valley fever.  This disease is infected by fungi that live in hot areas. Yet because of temperatures rising, it has found its way into Pacific Northwest.

9. Global warming has sparked catastrophic weather events

Floods in Bingley, UK in 2015 by Chris Gallagher from

It is because of global warming that catastrophic weather events are a common occurrence around the globe. From wildfires to hurricanes, floods, blizzards, intense heat waves, tornadoes, and droughts.

10. Global warming risks species extinction

With the increased degree of warming, various ecosystems are threatened. For example, marine and coastal habitats have experienced a significantly declining number of live coral reefs.

On top of that, coral reefs support 25% of life in the ocean according to NOAA. Further, they need specific ocean conditions to survive. Such as the right temperatures and chemical composition. Thus, with increased ocean acidity and temperatures, coral reef survival is threatened.

In other habitats, species migrate in search of water and pasture. In the end, these changes affect biodiversity and in some cases lead to the extinction of some species.

Facts about Earth’s Atmosphere

11. The world’s largest cities risk severe global warming effects

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Many of these cities have huge populations thus increasing the possibility of human activities that contribute to global warming. These cities also have high industrial operations which contribute to global warming.

The ripple effect is adverse climate events such as flooding and hurricanes due to the rise in sea level. Furthermore, the rise in temperatures results in wildfires, heat waves, and more.

12. Global warming effects may become irreversible

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA) reports are optimistic that global warming can be slowed down. Findings by NOAA show that if human activities contributing to heat-trapping gases declined, temperatures would stabilize.

NOAA’s analogy is that if the emission of heat-trapping gases can stop, Earth’s temperatures would rise for some time and then stabilize. The temperatures would rise because of the heat stored up in the oceans underground.

The explanation is that with zero heat-trapping gas emissions by humans, oceans would release the excess heat back into the atmosphere.  So the effect would be increased temperatures for several decades. Afterward, the Earth’s temperatures would become stable.

13. Industrialization has increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by 50%

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The carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere contributed to by human activities is over 50% compared to pre-industrial levels. Before the industrial revolution CO2 levels consistently ranged from about 280 ppm (parts per million).

After the industrial revolution, human activities have contributed to an estimated 1.5 trillion tons of CO2 pollution. The pollution rate keeps going high as industrial activities also go up.

14. Global warming is slowing the total global economic growth

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has reported on the total global economic growth effect due to climate change. Their analysis shows that the estimated cost of global damage due to global warming is between $54 trillion and $69 trillion by 2100.

The findings hold the assumption that temperature increase rates are as per the Â鶹APP Agreement target of 1.5°C hence the $54 trillion cost. If warming reaches 2°C the cost would be $69 trillion.

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15. Air conditioning is also affecting global warming

Air conditioners on a building in Singapore by Annie Spratt from

To cope with the increased heat waves, air conditioning has become a solution for the same. Yet air conditioning machinery uses large amounts of energy. It means more electricity is produced and hence more carbon dioxide is emitted into the air. CO2 is a heat-trapping greenhouse gas so it keeps global warming going up.

The effects of global warming are dire and action is needed now before our planet gets to an irreversible fate. We all are responsible for making a healthy and sustainable environment for future generations.