What Might Happen

Q. What might happen if the global temperature rises two or more degrees Centigrade?

A. There are endless answers:

> Coral reefs, which feed both humans and larger fish populations, will further perish because of their inability to quickly adapt.

> In 1995, 200 million people were afflicted with Malaria. Five to ten million people die each year from the disease. Malaria will spread to regions where temperatures are currently a limiting factor.

> Elephantiasis currently afflicts 400 million people and will likely spread further.

> No vaccine exists for dengue fever and sleeping sickness, which are spread by insect bites. Subtropical areas like Texas and Florida will become tropical, and tropical insects will follow.

> Hurricanes: A simple relationship exists: the higher the ocean and air temperatures, the higher the velocity of hurricane winds. In 1995 we predicted that with slight increases in temperatures, hurricanes would also start earlier: As we write this book, we see on the news that this year has the highest number of early hurricanes and tropical depressions. Hurricane season will eventually lengthen from June-November to April - December

> Sea Level: A warmer planet causes the water temperature to rise. Water expands as it warms. In this way, a two degree C. rise could raise sea levels four to six inches. That's only the beginning. Global warming is melting the polar ice caps. Some greenhouse projections predict a 20 foot rise in sea levels--largely due to melted ice.