Goal: Write an essay about your opinion on anthropogenic global warming. The paper should be at least three pages long and typed, following MLA format.
The following should be included in the essay:
- Your opinion on global warming and climate change
- Scientific studies to support your opinion (Choose specific aspects such as solar maximums, ice-core samples, computer modeling, etc.)
- At least three sources of scientific studies with notes about who funded and published the research (How does the funding and publishing of the research affect the bias of the results?)
- Descriptions of potential causes and potential consequences of global warming and climate change
- At least five recommendations for the future
Anthropogenic Global Warming
For many years anthropogenic global warming has been a controversial subject amongst scientists and environmental critics due to contradicting opinions on the increasingly high temperatures in the atmosphere. In my opinion, human activities are the major contributor to the ongoing rising trends in Earth’s surface temperatures as climate change encompasses natural changes and physical changes that cause a paradigm shift in the weather patterns.
The science of human contribution is quite evident within the last decade. The United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report shows that the solar maximum in the previous 11 years has had a limited impact in planet-wide temperatures and Earth’s climate. According to research to ice core samples derived from ice sheets shows that there is an intricate connection between the levels of Co2 and temperature in the atmosphere. Recently published polar records show that the levels of Co2 and temperatures in the atmosphere go up and down simultaneously. Ice core samples show the greenhouses gas concentration in the atmosphere concerning Co2 levels and an increase in temperature. Also, computer models are used by scientists to provide a clear picture of the connection between human activity and the greatest threats to human civilization. Computer models use computational equations to show the interactions and processes of the components on Earth (Edwards). Computer models provide different comparisons that are imperative in underpinning the effect of human-produced greenhouse gases on the Earth’s Temperature.
For the longest time, scientists have conducted extensive research to prove the validity of biasness the anthropogenic global warming theory. In a quest to validate the anthropogenic theory IOP Science wrote an Environmental research letter “Quantifying the Consensus on anthropogenic global warming in the scientific literature”. The scientific study details the purported disconnect between public and scientists perspectives on the scientific consensus of anthropogenic global warming as the greatest threat of the 21st century. The study analyzed existing journal abstracts and the assessed author’s view of their journals in disputing or conceding in anthropogenic global warming. Following this, scientific research seems valid as the convergence of many variables, and authors weaken the objectivity of the study. Also, with IPO as the primary funding body, the research may be misconstrued to fit specific narratives to facilitate policy-making and administration.
The scientific study “Global warming is not crisis studying climate change skepticism on the web” reviews the current web data on the ongoing denial about anthropogenic global warming. It is funded by the department of the School for Design and Communication and the new media Ph.D. program at the Department of Media studies in Amsterdam. The study is enlisted in the NECSUS International journal, a well-established source linked to European Network for Cinema and Media Studies. Affiliations of the source with a prestigious press company affect the viability of the thinks tanks and scientists as they present dissent opinions that portray theories that can lead by biased conclusions.
In a bid to dispute the validity of the anthropogenic theory, America’s Enterprise Institute compiled 500 reports of environmental critics and deniers titled “There is no climate emergency.” The report is part of the research products funded by significant fossils fuel companies such as the Koch Foundation and ExxonMobil. These companies are widely known for disputing the impacts of human activities on global warming despite the existing scientific evidence. Therefore funding these articles affects the objectivity of the study as the publishing body is founded to oppose the anthropogenic theory. The publication of the article renders the studies’ invalid publishing body is based on discrediting scientific concepts on global warming.
A continuous rise in the Earth’s surface temperature and a significant shift in climate change will have ripple effects on the natural world. Increased temperatures cause a wide range of disasters such as forest fires, floods, droughts, and heatwaves, among others. The presence of warming greenhouse gases increases heat and water retention rates in the atmosphere, thus causing a paradigm shift of the weather patterns. Following this wet experience, massive rainfall while drier regions face long period of droughts, heatwaves, and forest fires. These disasters cause enormous losses as they affect the food production, public health services, and safety of the people.
High temperatures cause major diseases and illnesses, such as heatstroke and respiratory diseases. The presence of greenhouse emissions in the atmosphere destabilizes the ozonic balance, causing air pollution. Dirt air increases the risks of respiratory conditions such as asthma, pneumonia, and other allergic infections. At the same time, heat waves are the significant causes of ravaging wildfires.
An increase or decrease in Earth’s temperature affects all the wild animals in different proportions. A recent analysis by Intergovernmental Panel shows that the majority of the animals are moving from their natural habitats to cooler or warmer regions while others are on the verge of extinction.
The Government and private organizations have come together to implement measures to combat global warming and climate change. Firstly the Governments should engage the private sector to understand the underlying problems to formulate policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Next, environmentalists should work collaboratively with economists to create eco-friendly jobs with less human produces greenhouse gases. The leaders should facilitate the adoption and implementation of a circular economy to conserve the amount of energy emitted into the atmosphere to restore the atmospheric balance. With the ongoing rise in climate change, it is pertinent for the government to hasten the adoption of renewable energy sources and technologies. Finally, scientists should maximize on research and production of low carbon modes of transportation to provide alternative solutions to fuels.
Works Cited
Edwards, Paul N. “Representing the global atmosphere: Computer models, data, and knowledge about climate change.” Changing the atmosphere: Expert knowledge and environmental governance 31 (2001): 33.
