How to Mend Global Warming - Research Paper Example

Global Warming Global Warming if one of the biggest issues that mankind has to deal with in today’s world. The importance of this phenomenon cannot b emphasized too much since it affects the future of the whole of mankind. As a result, a concerted effort needs to be taken so as to remedy the situation. This needs to be done before the situation becomes an irrevocable one that would end in a catastrophe. The phenomenon of global warming has divided the world politically. Countries that are developed and those that are not developed often lock horns about the permissible levels of emissions that could be considered to be safe for the earth. The phenomenon o global warming affects the world in ways that no phenomenon has done before. This can be seen from the fact that the air, the water and the soil of the earth would be adversely affected as a result of it. This would affect the liveability of the earth in future times. This paper shall seek to provide an analysis of the phenomenon of global warming and the solutions that one may look forward to achieving, in the future. Global warming is defined as the increase in the temperature of the world as a result of the greenhouse effect. “The average facade temperature of the globe has augmented more than 1 degree Fahrenheit since 1900 and the speed of warming has been almost three folds the century long average since 1970. This increase in earth’s average temperature is called Global warming” (Global Warming is an International Issue). The importance of the effects of this can be understood from the effects that it has on the different parts of the environment. The effect of global warming can be seen in the changes that have taken place in the air. The change in the temperatures of the air of a particular place affects the ways in which agriculture is carried out in that place. Apart from this, it also causes the plants which depend on a certain weather to grow to wither away. Changes in temperatures that have been a feature of a certain clime would lead to many destructive effects on plant life. No change in one aspect of the environment would leave the other areas unaffected. A change in the flora of a certain place would lead to a great change also in the animal life of that area. Animals that depend upon a certain kind of vegetation would not be able to survive in a situation where excessive temperatures prevent them from growing. Apart from this, the forest fires that have been reported to be the result of global warming also leads to the loss of habitat for many species that may not be able to survive in other temperatures. This would lead to the loss of many species that help preserve the balance of the environment. These plants and animals provide man with many of his daily needs. Many of them provide him with his food. Most of the other amenities of modern life too, are provided for by nature. Clothing and shelter require natural elements that may be from species that are endangered or from those that live in conditions that are spoiled daily due to global warming. The medicines that are consumed by man are always from elements that are found in nature, living or non-living. Many of these elements shall not be found in their natural states if global warming is not checked right now. The importance of the extinction of species and the degeneration of nature due to global warming thus cannot be taken lightly. It poses great risks to the health of mankind as a result of the increased number of days in which the heat is greater than earlier averages. It poses greater risks to children and the elderly, sections which are more vulnerable to any kind of climate change (Climate Change Threatens Health). The changes in temperature that are caused due to climate change mean that they affect the growth of the algae in the oceans and the seas as well. The algae are the most important components of the food chain of the sea. They provide food for the larger animals that are a part of the ocean. Since the growth of the primary link of the food chain is stunted, the growth of the other animals shall also be stunted. This would then result in a disastrous disruption of the ecosystems that operate within the ecosystem. The oceans help in sustaining the activities of many other ecosystems that are not necessarily present in water. As a result of this, any change in the activities that take place in the water bodies of the earth would prove disastrous for all the inhabitants on it (Global Warming). The changes that have been sought to be implemented for the solution of global warming are those that operate at the level of diplomacy and politics. Most of these solutions have been discussed and laws have been sought to be passed against the activities that lead to the phenomenon of global warming. Summits where heads of states meet are held regularly where such solutions are discussed. These normally result in clashes between countries that are willing to implement these initiatives and those that are not. They also lead to the development of divides between different countries. Divides have developed during the past as a result of the accusations that are levelled against developed countries of attempting to stall the development processes in certain countries that are a part of the third world. These accusations have led to the lack of a political consensus on the issue of how to tackle the phenomenon of global warming. This issue has thus become one that is not debated for the political reasons that are associated with it. An urgent discussion of this issue, however, needs to be initiated at the lowest level. There are certain solutions that are being tried at this point of time as well. The concept of recycling is something that has been a part of public consciousness of late. The recycling of goods such as paper and plastic can lead to many effects upon the environment that are positive. The recycling of paper can lead to the use of less pulp for which trees would have to be cut down. Trees check the amount of greenhouse gases that are present on the earth. An increase in the number of trees would benefit the environment by reducing the amount of such gases and also would lead to the rescue of animals that would otherwise have lost their habitats. The recycling of plastic has also led to the decrease in the manufacture of new plastics which would lead to the production of more greenhouse gases. The increase in production of e-books has also led to the use of less paper which is always a very good development. The awareness among people has increased to an extent that is a good start considering the fact that it came so late; however, much has to be done on the front of recycling so that targets may be reached on the environment front. The success of these steps has almost always depended on organizations that are not necessarily attached to the government; as a result the funding of these projects has always been a problem. The problem of tackling global warming has always hit roadblocks as a result of the lack of funding for projects- a result of governments’ unwillingness to spend enough on the issue. There are many ways in which the situation can be bettered. People can be made to know that many of the activities that they indulge in like the switching on of lights unnecessarily, watching television for long periods of time and so on and so forth, lead to the production of greenhouse gases (Global Warming). Such activities lead to an irrevocable change in the environment that shall threaten the very existence of man and other organisms on the face of the earth. Laws can be passed that make it mandatory for people to take actions that check global warming. Industries can be made to take up the economic burden for the environmental damage that they cause. A reversal of the damage that they have caused can be made to be their responsibility, through legislation. Apart from this, better ways to do this can also be developed through technological research, part of which can be funded by the industries that damage the environment. Sustainable development of the economies of countries can only be achieved if the environment is preserved. The very existence of mankind depends upon a focus on sustainable development. Lessons can be learnt from the ways in which nature has managed a balance between the different organisms that lived on it from time immemorial (Miller, Spoolman, 2009). For this to happen, people on the earth shall have to take the responsibility to cleanse the earth of the pollution that they have caused themselves. References Miller, G.T.; Spoolman, S. (2009). Sustaining the Earth: an integrated approach. Belmont: Cengage “Global Warming is an International Issue”. (2008). Global Warming. http://www.globalwarming.org.in/ Accessed on 2nd April, 2012. “Climate Change Threatens Health”. (n.d.) Natural Resources Defense Council. http://www.nrdc.org/health/climate/ Accessed on 2nd April, 2012. “Global Warming”. (2002). OracleThinkQuest. http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0215471/global_warming.htm Accessed on 2nd April, 2012. Read More