An emaciated polar bear is seen on a small sheet of ice in this image taken in August in Svalbard, north of mainland Norway. (Kerstin Langenberger)

While it's difficult to appreciate the dangers of Earth's changing climate for many of us in the U.S., global warming is having dramatic impacts around the world. The proof is in the photos above. From walruses crowding the shores in Alaska to a drinking water shortage in California in February, the impacts of climate change have manifested in many ways.

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We compiled this photo essay of some of the places where its effects can be seen most strikingly, including photos of the things that promise to lead the world away from the path of ever-rising greenhouse gas emissions.