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The negative consequences of global warming are well-documented -?? melting ice caps, sing sea levels, loss of habitat for polar bears and countless other species, mass disruptions and dislocations around the world as formerly habitable areas become unlivable. It sounds like the world’s going to become a very unpleasant place to call home if everything that’s been predicted comes to pass. The less-publicized reality of climate change is that some change is likely to be beneficial.
Granted, virtually every positive effect has a negative corollary, and sometimes the negative outweighs the positive (territorial disputes over low- yang islands will cease, which is good, but only because the islands will be underwater, which is worse). But it’s not all bad. The following list details the top 10 effects of global climate change that could be good for the planet. This may not convince the doomsayers, but should global warming transpire as many scientists predict, it could make waiting for that toasty Armageddon a much more endurable experience. 0. More Usable Land Presently, vast swaths of the Earth -?? the northern half of Canada, for instance, and the majority of Russian’s land area -?? aren’t suitable for agriculture. As the globe warms, however, high-latitude zones now on the verge of cultivation could become agriculture-friendly. More food for the world’s people is certainly a good thing, although it must be acknowledged that climate change could at the same time transform other fragile regions such as sub-Sahara Africa into more of a desert than they are already. 9.
Longer Growing Seasons It’s conceivable that the world’s current breadbaskets could become even more productive as temperatures warm, increasing yields. Farmers accustomed to one harvest a year may even see two. What’s more, a larger variety of crops could be grown in more locations than is currently possible. 8. Extra CO For Plants We humans can only expel carbon dioxide, but plants love it. With heightened levels of CO in the atmosphere thanks to a warming globe, plants will have the opportunity to get drunk on the stuff, growing larger and more robust.
This in turn would be good news not just for agriculture, but also for the many animal species that depend on plant life (at least those not already threatened by habitat degradation). 7. Northwest Passage Becomes Reality The long-sought shipping lane through Canada’s polar regions is already close to being a viable alternative during the summer months. Its existence could mean the world’s largest ships, particularly oil tankers too big for the Panama Canal, which have to round the southern tip of South America, would have a much shorter route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans at their disposal. . Arctic’s Resources Become Accessible Nobody really knows just how much Oil exists in the Arctic, but Oil companies and various nations, are moving fast in an effort to find out. Russia is already aging a lead staking claims to promising stretches of international waters that had long been under frozen lock and key. Drilling for Arctic oil, currently not a viable option, could be soon. 5. Less Energy Required For Heating This obvious benefit of warmer winters has yet to come to pass, as recent winters across North America and Europe have actually trended colder than normal In many locales.