Current and Future Climate Change - Essay Example

Name Course: Tutor: Institution: Date: Earth Policy Paper Current and Future Climate Change The global market continues to experience enormous climate change implications. In this regard, this can be cited in the increasing cases of storms across the globe. In particular, Philippines have been the unfortunate recipient of these climate change implication storms over the years. In this regard, the country has faced enormous storms. Moreover, besides the traditional storms prune nations, the globe has experienced the storms in the recent past such as Brazil in 2013. Moreover, the implications of climate change can be evidenced in the rising global temperatures through global warming. In this regard, sea water heating and carbon emissions have led to increased global temperature changes that are statistically argued to have increased by 2 degrees Celsius in the last decade. The humans have played a significant role to increased climate change through carbon emissions increase. Despite the current climate change challenges, statistics indicate potential future climate and global changes into the future. In this case, some of the expected future changes include increased global warming with the rising carbon emission levels since the end of the global financial crisis. Moreover, the sea levels are expected to rise with an estimated 6 feet rise level into the future, a development likely to increase the severity of storms in the future. Carbon Emissions Trends As already discussed, the key human contribution to climate change is through carbon emissions in production activities. I the recent past, countries have adopted various production strategies to mitigate against carbon emissions in the environment. One such nation was the USA. On its part, despite remaining the second largest emitter across the globe has drastically reduced its emission levels in the last half decade through focus on oil energy source instead of coal energy in production and transportation. Other similar nations reducing the overall carbon emissions are Germany. Despite the fact that the country is not particularly one of the sunniest nations in the globe, it has resulted to the use of solar energy as a major source of energy for domestic use. This reliance on renewable energy has subsequently reduced its carbon emission levels in the society (Adams para 4). However, a wide range of nations experience increasing carbon emission levels. This is especially in the Asian markets as well as other developing nations. In this regard, the wind of industrial development and growth in these nations such as China and India experience rising emission levels. In fact, China is currently ranked as the largest carbon emitter in the globe factor that can be directly linked to its growing economy especially on the manufacturing front. Alternative Energy Sources Due to the exhibited negative challenges of coal and other carbon based energy sources, the world is gravitating towards increased use of alternative energies in their production process. In this regard, among the two popular energy alternative sources include the solar and wind energy. On one hand, as already discussed above, the use of solar energy has enabled Germany adopt and develop a large pool of clean energy. On the other hand is the use of wind power as a source of energy. This energy generation includes the establishment of windfalls to tap wind and subsequently convert it to usable energy for transmission in the grid. A typical case study of wind energy use as an alternative energy source can be cited in Denmark. In this regard, through its expansive offshore farms, the country has grown its wind energy source that currently represents a third of the total country’s energy supply. Most of the interesting facts in the case is the fact that the country aims at a 50% of wind energy in its power grid by 2020. Through the adoption of this energy source, Denmark with peers such as Spain also adopting the strategy stand to gain and benefit the globe in a diversity of ways. One of the strategic benefits of the alternative sources of energy will be the eventual reduction on carbon emissions. Consequently, the perceived negative implications of carbon emission such as global warming will significantly reduce into the future. As individual counties, Denmark, Spain and others using alternative energy source will promote sustainability of their development and production processes. Therefore, this will guarantee perpetual growth and development of the countries production industries in the long run. Further, the application of the renewable energy sources is expected to reduce the overall cost of energy production onto the future, a virtue that will stimulate vibrant growth and development in the respectively involved nations. USA Carbon Emission Similar to other global nation’s efforts in reducing carbon emissions and their implications, the USA has developed a series of exceptional programs over the years. In this regard, as already evidenced, the nation has subsequently experienced a reducing rate of carbon emission in the last half decade. In this regard, the overall achievement has been through the development of respective national programs on energy production and management. One of the successful areas in the USA energy management programs is through the regulation and capping against sulphur dioxide emissions. Although the program faced critical challenges in its endeavor to control and reduce acidic rains, it eventual execution led to an overall reduced acidic rains rates (Krugman Para 12). Moreover, the nation has succeeded in its shifted orientation form reliance on coals as the main source of energy. Consequently, focus on alternative energy sources such as oil has gradually reduced the rates of carbon emissions from coal burning in the nation, a collective approach contributing to its reducing global emission rates. However, there exists a series of anti environmental conservation changes as Krugman argued but a critical evaluation of these aspects reveals that the criticism is based on ignorance and an approach on self interest rather than overall global interests The Climate Crash Risk Paulson developed an argument on the imminent climate change crisis in the future based o the current economic changes trends. In this regard, the author offered a comparison of the climate challenge to the 2008 global financial crisis arguing that failure to develop proactive measures will lead to similar results. The study develops an argument of the opportunity costs of failing to counter the current climate challenges. It is apparent a climate crisis would not only implicate on the environment but also on the global economic platform. As such, this would lead to increased overall production costs as well as unsustainability in the market into the future. Therefore, based on this establishment it is evident that a climate change process would serve as a critical business risk management process. Through alternative energy sources development, businesses would ensure that their production and operational processes are sustainable into the future (Paulson Para 5). Through such an approach, the business would ensure that their operations are perpetual thus offering them a stability and certainty element that is an imperative aspect of business risk management systems and approaches. Personal Evaluation A personal critical evaluation of the climate challenge issues establishes a rising global challenge. In this regard, I establish and acknowledge the fact that measures to mitigate and control climate challenges would have their negative implications on economic growth rates and trends across the globe. Moreover, I recognize and appreciate the argument that the execution of climate control programs would disfranchise a group of the global regions and population such as the coal miners and the industry that serves as an employer to many. Nevertheless, this evaluation reveals one critical aspect that the opportunity cost of doing nothing to control climate change is very high. In this regard, the risks and implications such as rising sea levels and global warming will have tremendous negative implications into the future. Therefore, based on this review, it is clear that it is of great importance for the global nations and stakeholders to develop proactive measured and strategies to overcome the current global climate challenge. On my opinion, I argued for increased governments’ involvement. Over the years, the globe has experienced a series of environmental conservation and climate change agreements. However, a majority of these agreements remain on book due to lack of commitment. However, I argue that through increased government commitment and devotion to climate change control the current challenge can be mitigated. This can be evidenced through case studies such as the Denmark government initiative to include wind based energy onto its grid has reduced its overall national carbon emissions. Therefore, this evidences that with proper drive and commitments, the global governments can help overcome the current challenge. Personally, I am of the opinion that the current climate challenges can be overcome. Although the change process could possibly implicate on a number of individuals across the globe, the merits would be enormous. As such a cost benefit analysis of the change process on both the social and economic long term implications establishes more benefits than the incurred costs. Therefore, I propose and support the initiation of climate change corrective measures to insulate us form negative unbearable and unmanageable challenges and implications into the future. Works Cited Adams, Emily "Eco-Economy Indicators - Carbon Emissions- Fossil Fuel Use Pushes Carbon Dioxide Emissions into Dangerous Territory| EPI." June 23, 2013. Earth Policy Institute – Building a Sustainable Future | Home. Web. 2 Nov. 2014. Krugman, Paul, “Interests, Ideology and Climate” New York Times, June, 2014. Web 2 Nov 2014. Paulson Henry, “The Coming Climate Crash: Lessons for Climate Change in 2008 Recession”, New York Times, June, 2014. Web 2 Nov 2014. Read More