Jeopardy: The Issue Of Climate Change

“Scientists’ overwhelming conclusion is that climate change is happening and human activity is the primary culprit,” (“Climate Change”). The world we live in is falling apart more and more every day. Pollution; Global Warming; Climate Change; These are all problems that caused by people who have come forward in recent years, one of the biggest issues is climate change. The United States government needs to take aggressive steps to combat climate change because scientist have warned that if the climate changing progresses at its current rate, it could have disastrous consequences for life on Earth. Data shows that climate change is linked to rising sea levels, droughts, an increase in the risk of extinction of many species, and the increase in severe storms. With all the issues that are connected to climate change we are not doing enough to try to counteract the lasting effects it has on our environment.

Through looking at recorded snow fall totals, Lake Freeze overs, and agriculture impacts one is able to start seeing trends in environmental changes. By looking at record snow fall records we can get a sense of historical air temperature and see how a specific location has been warming. Lake Freeze over data also gives good indications of an average air temperature increase. But there are still many people in this world that doubt that climate change is real. Yes earth goes through different periods of time where the climate has changed drastically. Look at the Ice Age, there was a time where a huge glacier stretched all the way across Vermont and in some places that glacier was 2 miles thick. Take for example, former Texas governor Rick Perry, who is in charge of the Department of Energy stated in 2011 that, “Global warming was an unproven scientific theory.”(Sidahmed, M. (2016, December 15). To the new presidential administration the topic of climate change has been looked at as a joke or even as a false idea. What we now know with the amounts of glaciers residing and the rise in temperatures and sea levels I believe that this subject is a bigger topic than what they believe. This subject needs to be taken seriously and we as humans need to take responsibility for some of our actions that have impacted climate change. I strongly disagree with many different actions that our president has taken regarding the issue

The Unites States of America is currently working to combat climate change in order to protect people from its effects. By combatting climate change, the USA hopes to prevent its effects from becoming worse in the future because the USA cares for its citizens and doesn’t want them to keep experiencing the consequences of climate change. The USA is putting great effort into dealing with climate change and also hopes that other businesses, organization, and individuals will join them in their effort (Environmental News Service). One concern the USA has towards climate change is its cause of natural disasters. Climate change is bringing more natural disasters by making weather patterns stronger, and weather patterns are becoming stronger as climate change grows which is bringing more natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and drought to the USA (Rice). One example of a natural disaster that occurred in the USA as a result of climate change is the tornado in Moore, Oklahoma. In this event, a tornado rated 5 on the Enhanced Fuijta scale hit Oklahoma and had a negative impact on this city by destroying many of its houses and buildings also resulting in the destruction of businesses such as schools (Cable News Network). Another major concern of the USA towards climate change is that it will cause a rise in the global sea level which will result in many of its coastal cities to be submerged underwater. There will be a permanent 4 feet rise in the global sea level

Irrespective of its cause, the impacts of climate change include more frequent and severe weather, higher death rates, dirtier air, higher wildlife extinction rates, and higher sea levels (IPCC, 2014). Although each of these impact areas are significant and worthy of further discussion, it is the ramifications of sea level rise that brought me to discuss climate action today.

Imagine the United States without Florida. That is where our country is headed due to the increase in sea level caused by climate change. There can also be many unforeseen impacts to the economy of many places. What would the future of Maine look like without lobsters and how coastal jobs will decrease along the coast of Maine. There are also many more dangers and risks that are forced onto the people of Chennai, India and Florida, United States. Both of the places are at risk of major flooding and have already experienced flooding. This is why climate change is a major problem and needs to be

We have all heard statistics over how unmitigated global warming can lead to rising sea levels, increased temperatures, lower rates of precipitation. The Congressional Budget Office recently found that climate change, if unmitigated, would create costly damage not only to the United States’s economy, but also to the world as a whole (source). Despite a scientific and general consensus that climate change is real and a problem, actual committed action against climate change has been disappointingly slow, until recently. We also know the cause of climate change. The United States EPA finds that “Carbon dioxide accounts for most of the nation’s emissions and most of the increase since 1990” (EPA). What we don’t know is a solution.

In the years ahead, climate change will have a significant impact on every aspect of the daily lives of all human beings -- possibly greater even than war. Shifting precipitation patterns and ocean currents could change where and how food crops grow. If icecaps melt and low-lying areas are flooded, as is predicted, entire populations could be forced to move to higher ground. The tsunami of 2004 and Hurricane Katrina, in 2005, provided vivid examples of what large-scale climactic catastrophes entail.

The dichotomy of climate change can divide the world down the middle. Those who believe in climate change advocate for earth-friendly policy to better the environment and help society as a whole. Those who believe the evidence does not support a climate change theory simply ignore scientists and do not advocate for any type of change in living. However, change is necessary to preserve the planet and maintain the modern democracy- not just in the US, but in the world. Those who deny climate change also deny the chance for cleaner, eventually cheaper energy, long-term jobs, healthier lifestyles, and greater unity between nations. The best and most efficient way to control the path to sustainable, green living is through the government.

Michael Pollan author of “Why Bother?” (an article from The New York Times) was very clear on delivering his message on climate change. Throughout his article he uses many different sources and reasons to explain, not only what is happening, but things we should be doing to create solutions to the problems we created. Micheal directs us to think about his thoughts about how climate change is a real problem, and demonstrates with examples from other authors, consequences that we could very soon be facing, and what we can do to evade these problems that are coming our way. With the few solutions we are presented with it is unrealistic to try to solve the climate change problem we have arrived to.

A major effect of climate change will be the increase of insecurity around the world threatening peace in the US. A major concern has come from multiple reports created by the pentagon worried about the resulting scarcity and degradation of resources

For someone to say that they do not believe in the idea of global climate change is like saying that they do not believe in science. About 200 nations, including the United States, have all come to the conclusion that climate change is indeed a real and that we, human-beings, have become responsible for finding a solution to this precarious situation that we have put ourselves in. However, there is still a small population of people that believe that there is nothing we can do to forestall the destructive effects of global climate change. To retract the naysayers current idea, in his climate change address, Barack Obama talks about his plans to reduce America’s carbon emissions by at least 17 percent by 2020 and at least 26 to 28 percent

Climate change in America is getting worse everyday and can destroy many of living organisms including humans; therefore, humans need to cut our greenhouse gas emissions fast or, oceans will be dramatically changed, the ice will melt causing floods, and the changing in weather causing severe damage. These are major issues that need to be resolved if we are planning on making a bright future on earth.

“we know that the costs of these events can be measured in lost lives and lost livelihoods, lost homes, lost businesses, hundreds of billions of dollars in emergency services and disaster relief. In fact, those who are already feeling the effects of climate change don’t have time to deny it -- they’re busy dealing with it.”(Barack Obama, ) To what extent should the U.S. government alleviate climate change in America .Climate change can affect our country through a number of factors cultural, social and natural. However what is being done to cut down pollution, global warming and any other factors of climate change that is hazardous to our country are all the perspectives that are into consideration when trying to find a solution to this worldly problem. How the alleviates climate change and do what needs to be done determines the sustainability of America for future generations.

Did you know that the United States is the second largest contributor of CO2, and the less concerned about it? Climate change has been a problem for decades, but just recently we start to see how big of a problem climate change is, and can be. Climate change is one of the biggest problems that we are facing right now, even if keep trying to act like is nothing. Everybody, the people, the government, and big companies are a big contributor of this phenomenon. The more we keep denying its effects, the more we are going to regret it later, and going to wish that we could go back and try to fix the issue. You going to know one day, and its going to be late. Climate change should be the U.S government main focus this decade and the ones to come. Climate change can affect a country in every way economically, destroyed …., cause a lot of deaths.

The effects of climate change in areas such as health, economy and security have negative implications for the future.