The adverse effects of global warming are enormous. The effects are already being felt on our planet, on human life, plants and animals worldwide. The predicted effects of global warming on the environment and for human life are numerous and varied. It is generally difficult to attribute specific natural phenomena to long-term causes, even though, some effects of recent climate changes already we are witnessing; rising sea levels, glacier retreat, arctic shrinkage, and altered patterns of agriculture are cited as direct consequences. Among secondary and regional effects extreme weather events, expansion of tropical diseases, changes in the timing of seasonal patterns in ecosystems, and drastic economic impact are predicted.

Major adverse effects of global warming are listed below:

(i) Polar ice caps melting – The ice caps melting is a four-pronged danger.

(a) It will raise sea levels. There are more than 5,773,000 cubic miles of water in ice caps, glaciers, and permanent snow. According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center, if all glaciers melted today the seas would rise about 230 feet. This may not happen at once; but sea level will rise certainly and consequently, low lying areas will be submerged.

(b) Melting ice caps will throw the global ecosystem out of balance. The ice caps are fresh water, and when they melt they will desalinate the ocean, or