Why a stable climate is important
Why is a stable climate important? This summary was compiled by Fridays for Future.
Contents of this page
Farming
In a stable climate seasons are predictable. The more unstable the climate, the less predictable the seasons are. Farmers use the predictable seasons to know when they can grow certain crops. Crops are more likely to fail in an unstable climate.
Ecosystems
An ecosystem is a geographic area where plants, animals, and other organisms, as well as weather and landscapes, work together to form a bubble of life. Plants and animals can’t keep up with the rapidly changing conditions in their ecosystems. For plants and animals to evolve to these new conditions, tens of thousands of years are required to transition from one state to the next, so evolution can keep up.
Migration patterns
Some animals move from one place to another depending on the seasons. This is called migration. The start of a migration is often triggered by a change in temperature or weather. Due to the destabilizing climate, the trigger which starts migration changes. This may cause animals to become stuck without food or water, or in too cold or too hot weather.
Extreme weather events
Extreme weather events increase in both frequency and severity the more the climate destabilizes. Extreme weather events are destructive to ecosystems and human infrastructure alike. Worsening global warming causes cyclones, tornadoes, floods, droughts, and heat waves to increase with passing time.
Stress
Not only extreme weather events, but also the destabilizing climate causes distress for us. Our brains like predictability too. With the weather patterns becoming more and more unpredictable, our brains react to that by releasing more stress hormones, making us more stressed.
Follow this link for some more information from the United Nations on the importance of a stable climate.
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