Reflections on Climate Change - Report Example

Overview on the causes and impacts of climate change Shown below in Table is the Global Climate Dashboard taken from the website of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Services (1). It can be observed that the global temperature from 1979 started to move in an upward spiral. However, together with the increase of global temperature is the increase of emitted carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide started to increase from 1959. As can be observed, there is a strong association between the amount of emitted carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the global temperature. Based on this observation, there is likely a great impact of carbon dioxide on the global atmospheric temperature considering that it takes two decades before the major impact of carbon dioxide takes it place in the increase of global temperature. Many experts believed that the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is the main reason of the increase of temperature on earth. This increase in temperature is one of the viewed reasons why there is a remarkable increase in sea level. This is significantly viewed that the increase in temperature melts the ice in the two poles of the earth. If this continues, then many Islands on earth will eventually become part of the large body of water by 50 to 60 years from now. This is just one of the potential impacts of climate change. It is important to consider that the climate change itself is viewed to be the effect of green house gases emitted into the atmosphere due to human economic activities such as the use of fossil fuel, forestry and agriculture (Shackelton, 1). Since economic activities must never stop, this brings forward different considerations. These considerations on the other hand are linked to other important issues on economic, political and social factors. The potential impacts of climate changes are indeed very alarming and to the extent that there is a need to go for evidence-based approach in understanding them. There are noted wide range of impacts of climate change and these include changes in seasonal weather pattern, the amount and type of precipitation, storms and sea level, climate fluctuations, ocean acidity, ecosystems and biodiversity, agriculture, forestry and fishing, water supply, infrastructure and human health (Shackelton, 1). These impacts are all indeed alarming considering that they can potentially contribute significant changes to the prevailing economic activities in the world. Not every nation on the other hand is willing to participate in the reduction of green house gases emission since this would imply a total change in their economic activities. However, some countries on the other hand are very willing to participate such as Japan, some European countries, Australia and more. New Zealand for instance is widely concerned on the issue on higher temperature, flooding, water resources, health, biodiversity, built environment, transport and business and finance (Ministry for the Environment, 1). New Zealand’s concern on these issues led it to go for biofuel as an alternative energy source to fossil fuel. It is therefore clear that there are countries ready to go find for alternative as they believe that climate change is about understanding more of the human economic activities. Table 1. Global Climate Dashboard (NOAA Climate Services, 1). Temperature (C) Carbon Dioxide (ppm) Sea Level (ft) A reflection on how to respond to climate change The potential impacts of climate change are very alarming and they remarkably create political, social and economic concerns. It is important to have essential understanding on these concerns so as to come up with a critical decision based on balanced information. Thus, it is important that a reflection on the opinion on how to respond to climate change must be conducted. According to Rood (1) climate change has been an integral part of political issue for years. According to him, on the ground that people identified themselves as whether democrats or republicans on their stand, is an indication that climate change is indeed a political issue. This is not only a political issue, but as well as social concern that needs to be addressed. As a global community, it is not only in the United States there is a remarkable division on the stand on climate change. People who are alarmed and concerned are those actually believed that climate change is an impact of human economic activities for many years. Green house gases are eventually believed to be coming from factories, refineries, vehicles and these are all associated with the increasing level of technological advancement and industrialization. The United States as a highly advanced nation is also technologically advanced as well as highly industrialized. This means that the United States has the ability to emit significant amount of green house gases into the atmosphere. The claim on the climate change therefore needs to have more evidence-based approach and not based on decision out of politically-motivated act. As citizens in this world, it is important that we need to come up with a unified understanding about climate change and its potential impacts. One way of doing this is to look closely at the validity of information based on scientific knowledge. There must be consensus on this stand. Upon reaching on a consensus stand, every nation then must be willing to take a compromise. This is to say that all major economic activities associated with the emission of green house gases must be covered by a global policy which is to be actually an act of protecting the environment. The reduction of green house gases for instance will eventually compromise production of offerings, such as vehicles and other products. The bottom line is that there will be a significant shift of the current economic activities into something more beneficial for the environment. Thus, this is just a matter of innovating possibilities. In line with this, companies need to come up with alternatives. These alternatives are necessary because they will determine the economic growth of a nation. A new approach therefore needs careful planning. Thus, it is necessary that every nation together with its people needs to have wide understanding on climate change and its potential impacts based on an evidence-based approach that is outside of politically motivated influences. References Ministry for the environment. Climate change impacts in New Zealand. 6 Nov. 2010 . NOAA Climate Services. Global Climate Dashboard. 6 Nov. 2010 . Rood, Ricky. Climate Change. 6 Nov. 2010 . Shackelton, Robert. Potential Impacts of Climate Change in the United States. USA: DIANE Publishing, 2010. Read More