SocialIssues: Climate Change
SocialIssues: Climate Change
Severalsocial issues plague the modern American society. Some of theminclude gender imbalance, better education, political freedom andclimate change. Among the most notable of these issues are theactions taken by the humans and other non-human entities on climatechange. Climate change or global warming refers to the consistentincrease in the earth`s surface temperature. This phenomenon isbelieved to be caused by the accumulation of carbon dioxide in theearth`s atmosphere emitted from the burning of fossil fuels includingoil and coal. Other human activities like deforestation andagriculture contribute to the phenomenon (Global Conference on GlobalWarming, etal.2013). However, there are others who provide counter-arguments on thesame topic also known as ‘climate change deniers.` Based on thenumerous debates and research on global warming conducted ondifferent platforms including televisions, radios and social mediaamong others, the topic qualifies as a social issue in the currentsociety. This is a problem analysis paper that identifies both sidesof the argument for and against global warming and the activitiestaken by different entities to address the perceived social issues.
Thegovernments, scientists and related research entities are inconsensus that global warming is a social issue and that the humanactivities cause and contribute to its escalation. Despiteapproximately seventy percent of American`s believing in theexistence of global warming, few believe it is a social issue, and amuch lower number believe it is human caused. Only twenty-sevenpercent of Americans believe in the ninety-five percent consensusamong scientists that human activity is the biggest contributor toglobal warming (Cama). When polled across political inclinations,Sixty-three percent of Democrats believe there is global warmingwhile only eighteen percent of Republicans are of a similar opinion.This means that the issue is of most concern to the liberals than tothe conservatives. This group believes that reduction of carbonemissions by any means will reduce the level of global warming tomanageable levels. The end goal and motivation for this group is theultimate reduction in global warming to levels where humans can adaptto a new normal.
Despitethe overwhelming amount of evidence, there is a group of Americansthat does not believe global warming exists and site the changes itclimatic conditions is ‘normal` or ‘expected.` Critics of theglobal warming agenda argue that the phenomenon is natural and theonly thing we as humans can do is adapt to the changing climate.Although a bigger percentage of the American population is in supportof global warming, a huge percentage of them do not believe it isconnected to human activities. Eighteen percent of the Republicansbelieve in global warming, and this makes the opposition conservativepolitically speaking (Cama). The biggest percentage of the skeptics,do not find the relationship between global warming and humanactivity and consider the climate agenda a fight against nature buttargeted at humans. Critics have also argued that the climate agendais about redistributing global wealth through subjective and punitivemeasures like carbon taxes, pricing, trading, and regulation, etc.The skeptics believe that the global warming agenda will lead to lossof jobs in the controlled industries accompanied by massive financiallosses to the society.
FACTSFROM BOTH SIDES
Proponentsof the global warming issue and agenda have come up with facts on howglobal warming is affecting the social, economic and physical healthof the world. This group argues that there is increased level ofcarbon emissions in factories, at homes, with car exhaust and otherareas that consume fossil fuels in their routine operations. Thehigher levels of emission are reflected in the severity of theeffects of global warming including rapidly melting glaciers,frequent flooding, unexpected climate changes, droughts, more commonheat waves and animal extinction among others.
Thefacts provided by proponents of this social issue have been counteredby the climate change deniers. They have provided their facts againstglobal warming and its agenda. Firstly, there is a growing number ofscientists who have disapproved the relationship between the level ofgreen house gas emission by humans and global warming or its effects(Global Conference on Global Warming, etal.2013). A satellite temperature reading shows no alarming trends inthe temperatures changes at the stratosphere in the last twenty-threeyears, which counters proponent`s base argument. Also, warmer weatherhas been associated with prosperity and over productivity in the pastwhich makes a little global warming beneficial unlike the earlierassumption. Finally, the cost of supporting the global warming agendais also very significant, which could be used in ensuring humansadapt to it without having to lose jobs.
Theproponents have supported emission control measures and limits by theauthority on major emission-points – factories and the automobileindustry. Environmental Protection Agency and the NationalAeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) in collaboration with thegovernment have put caps on carbon emission in these environments.Punitive fines will also impose on anyone who breaks the limits.Emission certificates are also sold to the companies that mustproduce carbon in their processes, with the revenues there-from beingdirected towards other preventive or environmental conservationactivities (Global Conference on Global Warming, etal.2013). This and other actions like forest conservation ensure thatthe rate of global warming is controlled and support the proponent`send. The opponents would want the costly global warming agenda cutand the funds redirected to measures of adapting to the changingconditions. They argue that these investments are wasted consideringto them, there is no definitive end or goal to be attained. Themassive amount of traffic on every form of media – including socialmedia, television, radio and the internet among others on this topicis seen to almost bias the proponent`s argument, with someexaggerations. This has resulted in a bigger percentage of theAmerican population being for the proponent`s argument.
Bothsides of the argument of Global warming as a social issue and itsagenda provide convincing facts to support their position. Both sidesof the argument have various solutions and demand outcomes thatsupport their position. Human activities have previously been assumedto be responsible for global warming. However, increasingly newresearch are proving a little connection exists between humanactivities and global warming. Protection of the environment isparamount for the survival of life, and continuous research on thiscontentious topic should be encouraged to avoid both extremes. On oneextreme if we ignore the proponents, the earth may not be able tosustain life in a few years to come. However, if we support them,massive investments may be wasted in projects that will never bearany results given that global warming may be naturally occurring.
Cama,T. (2016). Poll:70 percent believe in climate change.Retrieved on 17thof March 2017 from,http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/264767-poll-70-percent-believe-in-climate-change
GlobalConference on Global Warming, In Dinçer, I., In Colpan, C. O., &In Kadioglu, F. (2013). Causes,impacts and solutions to global warming.New York, NY: Springer