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Chapter Three Impacts of Global Climate Change

rine ecosystems, variations exist across different sea regions. Tropical coral reef areas are ex-
tremely sensitive to changes in seawater temperature and pH levels. Climate warming causes
rising sea temperatures that trigger coral reef bleaching, leading to massive coral deaths that
disrupt the structure and function of coral reef ecosystems, affecting numerous marine organ-
isms dependent on coral reefs. In polar seas, changes in sea ice influence the distribution and
populations of plankton, fish, and other organisms, thereby impacting the entire marine food
chain.
Different regions across the globe experience varying impacts when confronting climate
change due to disparities in geographical, climatic, and ecological factors. In-depth research
on these regional differentiation patterns holds significant importance for formulating tar-
geted regional climate change response strategies, protecting ecological environments, and
ensuring sustainable development of human societies.

II. Assessment Indicators and Methods for Regional Climate Change
Vulnerability

As a critical component in the field of climate change research, regional climate change
vulnerability assessment holds self-evident importance. Under the global climate change
context, different regions exhibit significant disparities in facing climate impacts. Accurately
assessing regional climate vulnerability provides solid foundations for formulating scientific
and effective response strategies. The core of this assessment lies in constructing a logically
rigorous, comprehensive, systematic, and scientifically sound indicator system, coupled with
precise, appropriate, and practical calculation methods. Within this framework, exposure,
sensitivity, and adaptive capacity form the most crucial indicator dimensions.
(1) Exposure Indicators and Calculation Methods
As one of the crucial indicators for assessing regional climate change vulnerability,
exposure primarily focuses on reflecting the actual manifestation and degree of population,
economic activities, and natural ecosystems within a region under climate change impacts.
Regarding population exposure calculation, the process requires detailed demographic sta-
tistics and analysis. In practical implementation, the first step involves comprehensively and
accurately determining the number of people affected by climate change within the region.
Taking coastal areas as an example, with global warming causing continuous sea-level rise,
low-lying coastal regions face inundation risks, making populations in these zones subject to
climate change impacts. Through advanced Geographic Information System (GIS) technol-
ogy and precise sea-level rise model predictions, we can more accurately delineate potential
inundation areas and subsequently calculate the population within these zones. This affected
population is then compared with the total coastal population. The specific calculation meth-
od involves dividing the affected population by the total coastal population and multiplying
by 100% to obtain a percentage value, which represents the population exposure index. For
instance, if a coastal region has a total population of 1 million people,Based on predictive

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