Impacts of Climate Change
Although the Gulf Coast ecoregion is one of North America's most diverse and productive, frequent hurricanes on the coast, fires in the dry upland areas, and the pounding ocean surf ensure that these ecosystems are constantly responding to the demanding climate.
Abstract
Climate change is already affecting the environment and people around the world. We have seen changes in the air, in water, and in plants and animals. These impacts include things like warmer temperatures, sea-level rise, heavy rainfall and more intense storms. Hundreds of plants and animals on the land and in the ocean have been lost because of very hot temperatures. Climate change has also made it more difficult for many people to access food or water, and has caused some people to lose their ways of earning a living. Unfortunately, people who have contributed the least to climate change are experiencing the worst effects. This shows that the effects of climate change are not fair and that there are uneven impacts on different people and places. It is important for us to understand the impacts of climate change on the environment and people so that we can find ways to solve these problems.