How Climate Change Will Impact Southern California (Research Paper Sample)

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How Climate Change Will Impact Southern California
Introduction
Southern California currently has a Mediterranean climate with dry summers and slightly rainy winters. The temperatures are also moderate with warmer winters and cooler summers. However, the environment is slowly changing to more temperate conditions and will continue to change in several subsequent decades. The changes will have significant impacts on agriculture, energy, human health, forests, ecosystem, recreation, and economy of the region. In line with this, the effects are likely to be adverse to the population.
Impact of Climatic Change on Southern California
Impacts on Agriculture. The warm climate will affect the agricultural sector in various ways. For example, very high temperatures will fasten the rate at which plants grow. Therefore, crops will reach maturity without essential development; this will lead to their poor quality (Johansen 125). Besides, the coastal waters will become more acidic given the increasing amount of heat-trapping gasses such as carbon dioxide and methane (Semmler 648). Such acidity will hinder the use of such waters for irrigation and domestic purposes such as cooking and washing, and also endanger the life of aquatic animals. There is also a likelihood of drought and at times floods, which present extreme conditions for the practice of farming (Casper 136). Drought is more likely to occur because of decreased amount of rainfall while the rising sea level might cause floods. In fact, the growing sea level will further limit the amount of farmland because it will rise and reclaim the agricultural fields surrounding the sea (Semmler 576). Agricultural animals such as cows will also die given the reduced amount of plant feeds. In line with this, high temperatures might increase the risk of contracting diseases that are very dangerous for animals.
Impacts on Energy. There would also be a problem with hydroelectric power generation given the irregular supply of water from the snowmelt. The differing levels of water often interfere with the production of electricity (Johansen, 368). Therefore, South California might have to invest more in using other sources of energy such as sunlight and oil generators for the supply of electricity.
Impacts on Human Health and Population. Increased warming will further cause heat waves that are dangerous for people. For example, high temperatures might lead to heat-related illnesses such as heat rush (Semmler 1). The flooding from increased sea level will also create breeding grounds for mosquitoes that cause malaria in human beings. Besides, people are likely to suffer from inadequate supply of food crops, some of which are essential for a balanced diet. Apparently, the situation will force a substantial number of residents to migrate to other environmentally favorable places (Johansen 249). A significant number will move to higher lands and even outside regions to avoid the effects of high temperatures and flooding. Additionally, there are likely to be disputes over the sharing of limited resources such as land that would be scarce to support the entire population.
Impacts on Forests and Ecosystem. There is also the likelihood of increased wildfires due to the drying up of forests. Forests will easily catch fire and burn with minimal intervention. This will also affect the ecosystem since fire often burns some animals and plants, thereby interfering with the natural habitat (Parry 486). Eventually, the area might receive a limited amount of rainfall because of inadequate number of trees that might further contribute to the expansion of the desert in the region.
Impacts on Recreation. Recreation is another area that the increased warming will impact negatively. For example, the melted snow will exterminate the snow meant for skiing, snowmobiling, and snowshoeing (Haldar 37). Therefore, people might have to seek other methods of recreation. Moreover, the climate will adversely hinder the sports such as football and athletics that require moderate temperatures. This implies that the region might not host any international or interstate sports competition.
Impacts on Economy. The economy of the region will greatly suffer from increased warming. A point to note is that the area will have less agricultural activities such as crop farming. Therefore, residents will have to rely on other areas for their food supplies (Parry 797). Such situation will significantly reduce the potential of trade on agricultural goods between the region and the other parts of America and the entire world. Hot temperatures will also lower the productivity of laborers. For example, those who work in open areas might spend limited time working because of the heat. Consequently, South California might not create surplus goods for the outside market. Tourism will also reduce substantially given the damage to the natural snow whereby people will not visit South California for hiking.
Other businesses that depend on the tourists such as those selling hiking and skating materials will most likely close down. The government is also likely to spend a lot of money on solving problems relating to electricity, food crisis, and diseases instead of focusing on economic growth and development. Also, the migration of people to safer regions will limit the number of working citizens in South California. The increasing sea level will additionally interfere with the property and infrastructure set in potential flood areas. For example, the increased amount of water in the sea will flood the surrounding re...