Final answer:
Scientists expect a rise in global mean temperature, more extreme weather events, and shifts in species distributions due to climate change over the next 100 years. The anthropogenic warming trend, exacerbated by greenhouse gas emissions, is the primary cause of these changes, which pose significant ecological and societal challenges.
Step-by-step explanation:
Over the next 100 years, scientists expect significant climate change, characterized by an increase in global mean temperature, more extreme weather events, and shifts in species distributions and phenology. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts that not only will the temperature rise, but also that extreme weather such as hurricanes and heavy snowfall will become more common, leading to severe impacts on biodiversity, ecology, and human societies. Rising sea levels are anticipated to endanger coastal cities, while hotter conditions may facilitate the spread of diseases. Climate change will also alter regional climates, changing rainfall and snowfall patterns and making habitats less hospitable. Anthropogenic warming due to the emission of greenhouse gases from fossil fuels and deforestation is a key driver of these changes. Despite a strong scientific consensus, there are disparities on the magnitude of climate change effects, with species extinction rates estimated to be between 15 to 40 percent by 2050.