Climate Change in Arizona Social Sciences Essay

Climate Change in Arizona
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Climate Change in Arizona
The dry, hot Arizona is perceived as ground zero for climate change. As such, the accelerating climate change of Arizona calls for urgent science-based, innovative strategies. Over the past century, Arizona's temperature has increased by 3 degrees (F) and is estimated by the American environmental protection agency to rise by 6 degrees (F) by the year 2060. The climate is changing because of global warming caused by increased carbon dioxide emissions by 50% since the early 1900s. Greenhouse gases are impacting negatively on ice covers and the world's oceans, which are turning acidic. The common heat waves in Arizona negatively impact the state by causing snow to melt early during spring, convert rangelands to deserts, decrease the flow of the Colorado River, threaten livestock health, and raise the frequency of wildfires. Both local, national, and international organizations demand change for climate change in Arizona.
Climate change reduces snowpacks or the amount of snow that accumulates over in Arizona during the winter seasons. Increased climate warming leads to reduced snowfall due to the high melting of snow during winter. The environmental protection agency shows a decreased snowpack level since the 1960s, as evidenced by less mountainous regions in all basins around the Colorado River. The diminishing snowpack lowers water supplies and shortens winter sports like skiing and other recreational activities. Climate change in the region impacts negatively on water availability. The supply of water is decreased whereas the need is increased. Higher temperatures in the area lead to increased evaporation rates affecting the soil, plants, and farmlands, which require more water. Mountain snow-packs act as natural reservoirs, but dams capture more melted water over the past 60 years, but reservoirs contain less water during droughts (Berardy & Chester, 2017). Thus, adverse climatic conditions will lead to drier soils, short rain periods, and severe drought.
Climate change in Arizona causes more droughts, an aspect that impacts the state's agriculture sector. Top agricultural products like vegetables, cattle, and dairy are affected by hot temperatures. Similarly, wildfires that occur practically reduce clean air and change the landscapes. Dry and warm conditions cause the forests to be susceptible to pests year-round. Pests feed on plants and also cause diseases. Besides, hot seasons are unhealthy and cause dehydration. Moreover, respiratory or heart diseases like asthma are escalated, leading to premature deaths. Climate change also affects the tribal communities affecting grazing fields. Besides, high te...