Discussion Category "Lauren's rough draft essay"
Lauren Weiss
Lauren Weiss
English 118
Global Warming!
Although the climate has always been changing due to natural cycles and evolution of the environment, human “…emission of anthropogenic greenhouse gases, among which carbon dioxide is the main contributor, has amplified the natural green-house effect and led to global warming” (EPS 2). Global warming is a topic that has been under much debate in the recent past: Some argue the climate has been changing throughout all of history and is nothing to worry about, while others are gathering evidence about the possible repercussions of a warming planet caused by humans. In the last twenty years scientists from all across the world have gathered data to support the hypothesis of a human-caused warming planet. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change or IPCC has released four different assessments showing the devastating outcomes. Using this evidence, four major areas of variation include the economic, political, social, and environmental impacts global warming has.
The most scientifically evident impact global warming will have is on the environment. As the author Bill McKibben writes, “We can tell, because Arctic sea ice is melting, because the glaciers on Greenland are shrinking…” (McKibben 1). When ice melts it becomes water and when enough ice melts, it causes the global sea level to rise. According to the IPCC, the global surface temperature has risen 0.5°C over the last 150 years, leading to a rise of sea level of 200 mm (IPPC 1.1). Biological systems will start migrating and events such as coral bleaching will be more commonplace. Other environmental factors include extreme events and weather. This includes heat waves, droughts, floods, and hurricanes (IPCC). There are countless natural variables encompassed in the factors of how we determine that climate change is man-made. The overconsumption of meat causes massive meat production causing and increase in greenhouse gasses. Overall, there are many factors contributing to how the environment will change with global warming, but the consequences are negative and devastating.
Another impact global warming will have is a shift in the society toward sustainability. In order to mitigate the effects of climate change, people will have to use more efficient transportation and be more aware of consequences of wasteful energy production. Socially, it will become frowned upon to waste energy and society will shift from its invasive nature to a more sustainable structure. Society will have to adapt and be educated on the consequences of a warming planet.
The economic impact of global warming is expected to create a demand for more efficient transportation methods, sustainable housing, and science (IPCC). The shift in economic focus will have to be driven by policy makers and the general public. Elected officials have to work in the interest of the public and not private corporations.
Scientific evidence has shown that climate change, including human induced global warming may have catastrophic outcomes to our planet. It is now very likely that the effects of global warming include melting ice caps, increases in sea level rise, and more disastrous and extreme weather. The negative outcomes ask for everyone to mitigate the problems to the greatest possible degree. The social, environmental, economical, and political impacts global warming causes are a distress call for a more sustainable, conscious world. The longer we wait to find a solution, the more damage we will cause.
Works Cited
McKibben, Bill. Washington's snowstorms, brought to you by global warming. The Washington Post, February 14, 2010. Web. ‹http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/11/AR2010021103895.html>
IPCC, 2007: Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Solomon, S., D. Qin, M. Manning, Z. Chen, M. Marquis, K.B. Averyt, M.Tignor and H.L. Miller (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA.
EPS, 2007. European Physical Society. Position Statement: Human Impacts on Climate. Energy for the Future. <http://archive.is/20120710100158/http://academiaeuropaea.ift.uib.no/physics/EPS-2.pdf>
