Climate change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Climate change - Essay Example This includes storms and heavy rains that may further be associated with floods. The country also experiences high temperatures that increase incidences of illnesses, some of which may arise from moderated air conditions such as air pollution that arise from dust. Increased significance of air bone illnesses is an example of such effects of high temperatures in Oman. Extreme case, if not monitored, leads to death. High temperatures, especially if accompanied by water shortage because of drought, also leads to dehydration with reported death cases in extreme cases. Heavy rain that sometime occurs with storms and sometimes leads to floods is another extreme weather event in Oman and causes death and destruction of property. The heavy rains destroy shelter and expose people to risk of cold and physical contact with drops of rain that can be life threatening in extreme downpour conditions. Floods from heavy rains also submerge people and property to identify threats of suffocation to dea th. Cases of floods sweeping away people in their vehicles and causing deaths are also notable in the country. In addition to direct effects of high temperatures and heavy rains on people’s lives, Oman suffers from indirect effects through burden on food supply (McMichael, Woodruff and Hales 2006, p. 860). High temperatures and drought reduces plants and animals growth potentials and may kill them or reduce their production. This implies low level of food supply, has led to famine in some areas and increased food prices, conditions that reduces people’s quality of life based on affordability of food (Charabi 2010, p. 223, 224). The adverse weather conditions also moderate potentials of vectors and pathogens. This effect increases incidences of some diseases during high temperatures or heavy rain falls in Oman. Malaria is an example of diseases whose incidence rates rise in flooded areas in Oman because of the breeding ground that mosquitoes find in flooded areas. Cases of tick bone and schistosomiasis, which McMichael, Woodruff and Hales identify with adverse weather conditions, have also been reported in Oman as a result of high temperatures and heavy rains that result from global warming. Changes in ecosystems, together with rising sea levels from global warming have also had negative effects on plants and animals’ yields and reduced levels of harvest from fishing. These have further led to food shortages in Oman with consequences of nutritional concerns. These effects of global warming on the environment have also led to mass deaths of domestic animals, displacement of people from their residences, and increased levels of poverty and malnutrition, especially in rural areas and among poor communities (McMichael, Woodruff and Hales 2006, p. 860). Empirical studies, from a global perspective, support the observed effects of global warming in Oman. Death cases that arise from increased temperatures occur in countries that lie in similar lat itudes as Oman and the United States is an example. The studies have further reported cases of allergies such as asthma as consequences of increased temperatures and this is likely to have occurred in Oman. Effects of global warming on agriculture, however, remains the most significant, with quantifiable monetary value of incurred losses that translate to quality of human lives.