6. Drought

While some parts of the world may find themselves deluged by increasing storms and rising waters, other areas may find themselves suffering from drought. As the climate warms, experts estimate drought conditions may increase by at least 66 percent [source: Scientific American]. An increase in drought conditions leads quickly to a shrinking water supply and a decrease in quality of agricultural conditions. This puts global food production and supply in danger and leaves populations at risk for starvation.

Today, India, Pakistan and sub-Saharan Africa already experience droughts, and experts predict precipitation could continue to dwindle in the coming decades. Estimates paint a dire picture. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change suggests that by 2020, from 75 to 250 million Africans may experience water shortages, and the continent's agricultural output will decrease by 50 percent [source: BBC].

Worldwide droughts, like that in a village northeast of Nairobi, expose rural communities to food shortages.

5. Disease

Depending on where you live, you may use bug repellent to protect against West Nile virus or Lyme disease. But when was the last time you considered your risk of contracting dengue fever?

Warmer temperatures along with associated floods and droughts are encouraging worldwide health threats by creating an environment where mosquitoes, ticks, mice and other disease-carrying creatures thrive. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that outbreaks of new or resurgent diseases are on the rise and in more disparate countries than ever before, including tropical illnesses in once cold climates -- such as mosquitoes infecting Canadians with West Nile virus.

While more than 150,000 people die from climate change-related sickness each year, everything from heat-related heart and respiratory problems to malaria are on the rise [source: The Washington Post]. Cases of allergies and asthma are also increasing. How is hay fever related to global warming? Global warming fosters increased smog -- which is linked to mounting instances of asthma attacks -- and also advances weed growth, a bane for allergy sufferers.

A field sample of mosquitoes that could carry West Nile virus pictured in California.

3. Conflicts and War

Declining amounts of quality food, water and land may be leading to an increase in global security threats, conflict and war.

National security experts analyzing the current conflict in Sudan's Darfur region suggest that while global warming is not the sole cause of the crisis, its roots may be traced to the impact of climate change, specifically the reduction of available natural resources [source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer]. The violence in Darfur broke out during a time of drought, after two decades of little-to-no rain along with rising temperatures in the nearby Indian Ocean.

Scientists and military analysts alike are theorizing climate change and its consequences such as food and water instability pose threats for war and conflict, suggesting that violence and ecological crises are entangled. Countries suffering from water shortages and crop loss become vulnerable to security trouble, including regional instability, panic and aggression.

The conflict in Darfur has been partly blamed on stresses caused by global warming.