Catastrophe Faced by Earth Due to Global Warming: A Docuprime Review

Recently, the documentary "The Catastrophe Facing Earth Due to Global Warming" aired on EBS's Docuprime, 'Science' collection, delved deeply into the impact of global warming on us. Watching this broadcast, I was once again reminded that global warming is not just a simple climate change, but a serious catastrophe that we face. Below is an article based on the contents of the broadcast.

1-Degree Celsius Rise in Global Average Temperature: The Beginning of Catastrophe

A 1-degree Celsius rise in the global average temperature leads to intensified desertification due to persistent droughts, and some plants and animals that cannot adapt to these changes begin to become extinct. This is the first stage of the Earth's ecosystem starting to lose its balance. The destruction of ecosystems due to climate change ultimately has a fatal impact on us humans.

2-Degree Celsius Rise: Collapse of the Climate System

If the temperature rises by 2 degrees Celsius, the Earth's climate system will collapse. This results in frequent occurrences of major floods and droughts, and the glaciers in the Arctic and Greenland will melt. These phenomena lead to the extinction crisis of Arctic creatures and cause sea-level rise, resulting in the inundation of coastal cities. The rise in sea levels will cause the loss of hundreds of millions of lives, leading to enormous social unrest worldwide.

3-Degree Celsius Rise: Food Production Crisis

A 3-degree Celsius rise in temperature results in the occurrence of powerful hurricanes, disrupting food production. As the Amazon rainforest collapses, the global environment worsens, and not only wildlife but also humans suffer from disease and famine. The decrease in food production will lead to a global food shortage, causing famine and social unrest.

4-Degree Celsius Rise: Global Catastrophe

If the temperature rises by 4 degrees Celsius, refugees will overflow in various parts of the world. The Antarctic ice sheets and the Siberian permafrost will rapidly melt and disappear, causing changes in the terrain. The melting of the permafrost could cause ancient viruses trapped within to become active again. This could increase the threat of new infectious diseases to humanity.

Changes in the Permafrost and its Dangers

The broadcast particularly emphasized the changes in the permafrost. In the Yakutia region of Siberia, wildfires occur throughout the summer, and the permafrost is melting, causing changes in the terrain. These changes have a major impact on the global environment and pose a risk of awakening ancient viruses that have been frozen for a long time.

※ Permafrost = Soil or submerged sediment that remains at or below 0°C (32°F, the freezing point of water) continuously for two or more years.

Revival of Ancient Viruses

The broadcast introduced research on ancient viruses found in the Siberian permafrost. In 2014, Professor Claver's team discovered a 30,000-year-old virus in the Siberian permafrost, warning that it could pose a new threat of infectious diseases to humanity. In fact, in 2016, anthrax became active again on the Yamal Peninsula in Siberia, infecting many reindeer and people.

The Severity of Global Warming

According to the IPCC's Sixth Assessment Report, the Earth's temperature has risen by nearly 1 degree Celsius over the past two years. This is an unprecedentedly rapid increase over the past 100 years, and it is a result of the intensification of fossil fuel use since the Industrial Revolution. The Earth, which has passed the tipping point, experiences a halt in the circulation of heat, water vapor, and carbon, leading to extreme weather phenomena that cause the death of countless lives.

My Thoughts

Watching Docuprime 'The Catastrophe Facing Earth Due to Global Warming', I was once again reminded of how serious the issue of global warming is. The broadcast was very persuasive, as it explained the phenomenon of global warming and the resulting catastrophes in a concrete way based on scientific data. The changes in the permafrost and the possibility of the revival of ancient viruses were particularly shocking, and I clearly realized that the impact of global warming on us is more than just a simple climate change.

Through this documentary, I realized that raising awareness about the issue of global warming and our urgent need for efforts to solve it. I am determined to start taking small actions, starting now, to protect the Earth's environment and ensure a sustainable future.