Global Warming

Violence in Human Beings- Adverse effect of Global Warming

A new research has shown that as the earth’s average temperature rises, so does human “heat” in the form of violent tendencies, which links global warming with increased violence in human beings. Using US government data on average yearly temperatures and the number of violent crimes between 1950 and 2008, the researchers guess that if [...]

A new research has shown that as the earth’s average temperature rises, so does human “heat” in the form of violent tendencies, which links global warming with increased violence in human beings. Using US government data on average yearly temperatures and the number of violent crimes between 1950 and 2008, the researchers guess that if the annual average temperature in the US increases by 4.4 degree Celsius, the yearly murder and assault rate will increase by 34 per 100,000 people – or 100,000 more per year in a population of 305 million.

While the global warming science has just come under fire, the main idea behind the Iowa State researchers’ research paper is irrefutable.

After Study the most prominent word used for this is the ‘heat hypothesis’,” Anderson said.
“When people get hot, they act more aggressively. There’s nothing new there and we’re all noticing the same thing. The three main reasons which lead to global warming is going to increase anger and violence, that’s perhaps the one that’s going to have the most direct effect – even on developed, rich countries, because they have temperate regions too,” he added.

After analyzing the existing reports – including an update on a study Anderson authored in 1997 – on the effects of rising temperature on aggression and risk factors for law-breaking and illegal behavior.
In addition to the “heat hypothesis,” they account that rising global temperatures is another factors for the growth of aggression in violence-prone persons, such as increasing poverty, growing up amid scarce resources, malnutrition and food insecurity.

They contended that one of the most disastrous effects of climate change will be food availability, producing more violence-prone individuals in the process.

“While there is some connection between temperature and violence, really the effects (of climate change) are going to be more circuitous if those temperature changes affect the amount of food we can produce, coupled with population growth,” said Matt DeLisi, an associate professor of sociology and director of ISU’s criminal justice program.

“Then where the real damage will be done is starvation, because that sets in action these other developments (risk factors) that then lead to crime,” he added.

The researchers cited ecomigration, civil unrest, genocide and war as the third way global warming is going to increase violence.

They suggest that rapid climate change can lead to changes in the insufficiency of food, water, shelter and other requirements of life.

Such shortages can also lead to civil war and conflict, relocation to neighboring regions and argument with people who already live in that region, and even to genocide and war.