Australia will be one of the worst affected countries.
If the temperature rise reaches 2oC we stand to lose
Half of the Kakadu Fresh Water Wetlands
Thousands of animal and plant species.
The Great Barrier Reef
Our snow
The losses to our Tourism industry and jobs would be enormous.
The National Farmers Federation consider climate change the greatest threat to agriculture in this country.
There will be an increase in infections like Dengue Fever and Ross River Fever.
More frequent bush fires and much more ferocity due to the drier vegetation.
Changes in Temperature
Australia's average temperature has risen by 0.8oC since the late 1800's. If left unchecked the Earth's temperature will rise by about 5.8oC over the next 100 years.
Drought
As of June 2008, more than 60 per cent of New South Wales is now in drought, an increase of more than 14 per cent on last month's official figures. Farmers have already experienced five consecutive years of bad crops.
Extreme weather
Extreme weather events, such as storm surges will become increasingly frequent.
Rising Sea Levels
Sea levels are rising even faster than scientists predicted, according to a global analysis of data from tide gauges and satellites. The Arctic summer sea ice is now expected to melt entirely within the next five years, - decades earlier than predicted in the 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 4th Assessment Report.
Colder Winter for Europe
In the Atlantic, the circulation of seawater is driven mainly by temperature differences right now. Water heated near the equator travels at the surface of the ocean north into high latitudes where it looses some heat to the atmosphere (keeping temperatures in Northern Europe and North America relatively mild). The cooled water sinks to the deep ocean and travels the world ocean, possibly not surfacing for hundreds or even as much as a thousand years.
There is concern that as the Arctic warms and more sea ice melts, the influx of freshwater will make the seawater at high latitudes less dense. The less dense water will not be able to sink and circulate throughout the world. This may stop the global ocean conveyor and change the climate of the European and North American continents.
Species Extinction
Global warming will force more animals onto the threatened species list, and some already endangered animals will probably become extinct, environmental experts warn. If the warming follows the 'middle-of-the-road' prediction - 1.8 to 2 degrees - 24 per cent of species will die. If temperatures rise more than 2 degrees, 35 per cent will become extinct.
Living organisms keep the planet habitable. Plants and bacteria carry out photosynthesis, which produces oxygen. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, which can help in the fight against global warming.
The monetary value of goods and services provided by natural ecosystems (including gas regulation, waste treatment, and nutrient recycling) is estimated to amount to some 33 trillion dollars per year b
