eli5 as to how changes in global temperature that are 1.5° affect it so much?

Question

I’m not denying that it’s bad, I know it’s bad and a horrible thing, but I wanna know how changes that are only 1.5° affect it so much and matter so much.

In: 1

Answer 1

Some large parts of the Earth’s ecosystem are not as temperature flexible as humans. Humans are pretty tough, particularly with their tools and clothes, and can live in a wide range of temperatures. This is highly unusual, most life can only operate in a more narrow range. Essentially, the single cell life which makes up most of the Earth’s biomass and makes much of the oxygen we use can only operate in a range that’s 10˚C wide. A 1.5˚C change is 15%, and that’s a lot to them.