...Anthropogenic Climate Change B M B PHI 103 Barri October 29, 2015 In this paper we will discuss the topic of Anthropogenic Climate Change, which is also known as global warming. Is anthropogenic climate change a problem that needs immediate and/or long term attention? The answer is becoming more evident as the years pass, but in short, it is yes for both immediate and long term. Anthropogenic climate change is having a substantial effect on natural and biological organisms on a global scale, and is considerably more severe in some continents. Below I will state my argument on how we need to do something now and for future generations. “Anthropogenic climate change refers to the production of greenhouse gases emitted by human activity” (Anthropogenic, 2012, Para 1). Anthropogenic climate change is in fact becoming more obvious even to people who usually do not have a concern about climate or geological systems. Walter, and Schönwiese state that “an anthropogenic induced climate change is already observable in climatic variables, e.g. near-surface air temperature” (Walter, A., & Schönwiese, C. D, 2003). Maxwell tells us that “eminent climate scientists have come to consensus that human influences are significant contributors to modern global climate change” (Maxwell, 2008). Some of the fundamentals of this anthropogenic climate change come from high levels of Carbon Dioxide or CO2 which is mainly generated from humans using fossil fuels as an energy source...
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...By definition, the Anthropocene is a proposed epoch that began when human activities started to have a significant global impact on Earth's ecosystems. The idea of an anthropogenic era is a highly debated topic amongst many researchers such as: Paul Wapner and Christopher J. Preston, who have attempted to provide viable solutions to ease the Anthropocene. They also argue that “we have so tamed, colonized, and contaminated the natural world that safeguarding it from humans is no longer an option” (Wapner, 111). Wapner depicts how humanity's imprint is now everywhere, and all efforts to "preserve" nature are highly improbable in the near future. Although a bold and convincing statement, it relies on a “slippery slope” type assumption that the...
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...assignment Professor Pavlov 06/07/2013 ------------------------------------------------- The role of anthropogenic climate changes is a climate change that refers to the production of greenhouse gases emitted by human activity. By examining the polar ice cores, scientists are convinced that human activity has increased the proportion of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere; The Earth has a natural greenhouse effect where certain gases (known as greenhouse gases) in the atmosphere allow the sunlight to enter but absorb the heat radiation. Because these gases absorb the heat, they average the surface temperature on Earth around 14°C. Without the natural greenhouse effect, the Earth’s average surface temperature would be around -19°C.which has skyrocketed over the past few hundred years. In other words this is anthropogenic climate change, and the significant increases in the atmosphere of these potent greenhouse gases are a result of human activity. The most potent of the greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N20). Alarmingly, these are a result of anthropogenic climate change, and the gases are at the highest levels for over 650,000 years. Since 1750, it is estimated that about two thirds of anthropogenic climate change CO2 emissions have come from fossil fuel burning (coal and petroleum) and about one third from land use change (mainly deforestation and agricultural). About 45% of this CO2 has remained in the atmosphere, while about...
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...assignment Professor Pavlov 06/07/2013 ------------------------------------------------- The role of anthropogenic climate changes is a climate change that refers to the production of greenhouse gases emitted by human activity. By examining the polar ice cores, scientists are convinced that human activity has increased the proportion of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere; The Earth has a natural greenhouse effect where certain gases (known as greenhouse gases) in the atmosphere allow the sunlight to enter but absorb the heat radiation. Because these gases absorb the heat, they average the surface temperature on Earth around 14°C. Without the natural greenhouse effect, the Earth’s average surface temperature would be around -19°C.which has skyrocketed over the past few hundred years. In other words this is anthropogenic climate change, and the significant increases in the atmosphere of these potent greenhouse gases are a result of human activity. The most potent of the greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N20). Alarmingly, these are a result of anthropogenic climate change, and the gases are at the highest levels for over 650,000 years. Since 1750, it is estimated that about two thirds of anthropogenic climate change CO2 emissions have come from fossil fuel burning (coal and petroleum) and about one third from land use change (mainly deforestation and agricultural). About 45% of this CO2 has remained in the atmosphere, while about...
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...3140: Environmental Ethics December 3, 2015 Anthropogenic Climate Change and Its Impacts The Earth’s climate is immensely susceptible to perturbations of natural systems. These fluctuations are incredibly cyclic, and have been studied to shift between periods of warm and cold temperature anomalies. Although the Earth cycles naturally on its own, it is evident that excessive emission production is enhancing the greenhouse effect, and therefore causing natural climatic shifts to happen at a faster rate. People are discernibly prone to assume that since Earth’s climate cycles naturally, that Global warming is autonomous of anthropogenic impact. Global warming is not the root of climate change, but instead the medium between anthropogenic intoxication of the atmosphere, and the response of Earth’s dynamic systems. It is not the actions of one individual that have an impact on the balance of Earth’s climate system; rather, it is the actions of many people, over a long period of time that will cause a chemical imbalance of the atmosphere, resulting in climate change. Nations that emit greenhouse gases at levels beyond their fair share of safe global emissions are obligated to aid in financing reasonable adaptation essentials and unavoidable damages of low-emitting countries and individuals that have done little to cause climate change. There is no one individual that can be held responsible for the damage associated with climate change. Instead of a single cause, millions of people...
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...Climate of Extremes Book Review & Personal Reflection on Global Warming When talking to my family over thanksgiving break about school and my current class load for the semester, one of the more interesting topics that was brought up was the debate over global warming. It was interesting to hear the viewpoints of my mother’s side and fathers’ side of the family. For the most part my mothers’ side of the family are hardcore republicans and use faith as a basis for most of their political positions, while my fathers’ side (not my father however) tend to lead more towards the democratic viewpoint on politics. While I am a catholic and would consider myself to lean towards more of a conservative viewpoint, I try to separate faith from politics and focus more on what I believe is the core of the issue being debated and how it can be solved, not necessarily to benefit the majority, but rather what would be a fair compromise between to the two arguing sides. With this being said my two sides of the family did not see eye to eye on global warming (side note: these conversations were at two different family parties as I would never try to talk politics especially given the circumstance of two very different viewpoints in my family). After talking a lot about global warming my uncle told me about a book he had read about it entitled Climate of Extremes. I decide to read this book and write a report on it, to obtain more knowledge on the subject of global warming. Like stated...
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...and Political Rights Official Complaint of the Government of Algoria Alleging Violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by Australia 31 December 2008 By Keely Boom LLB B Com GDLP PhD Candidate, University of Wollongong Legal Officer, Australian Climate Justice Program CONTENTS Contents I. Summary of Complaint 3 II. Complainant 3 III. Defendant 3 IV. Basis of Complaint 4 V. Jurisdiction 4 VI. Exhaustion of all available domestic remedies 7 VII. Facts submitted by the Government of Algoria 8 VIII. Alleged Violations of the ICCPR by Australia 12 A. The Right of Self-Determination 13 B. The Right to Life 14 C. The Right to Liberty of Movement and Freedom to Choose One’s Residence 15 D. Freedom from Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy and Family 16 E. The Right to Culture 17 IX. Causation 17 X. Remedies sought 20 Explanatory Note 22 Summary of Complaint 1. The State of Algoria complains that Australia is failing to fulfil its existing obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights[1] (“ICCPR”) due to its historical and continuing contribution to anthropogenic climate change and its associated impacts upon the human rights and fundamental freedoms recognised in ICCPR as held by the citizens of the State of Algoria. 2. The State of Algoria makes this Complaint in accordance with interstate provisions provided through Article 41 of the ICCPR. 3....
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...1. Introduction Over the last century, climate change has become one of the greatest threats facing the world. There is overwhelming scientific consensus that the increasing global temperature and the variable weather condition are closely related to the increase of greenhouse gases. In order to tackle the issue of climate change effectively, the Kyoto Protocol has been established. However, the rate of climate change is beyond prediction and the adverse impacts of climate change are increasingly serious. Besides, the debate about the main cause of climate change is significant. As the main driver of climate change is difficult to identify, countries face the challenge to formulate practical strategies to reduce greenhouse gases. This report will define climate change and explore what is the main driver of climate change as well as focus on climate change response strategies in Kenya. 2. Definition of Climate Change Climate change is characterized as observed increase in global average temperature of the earth. Climate is totally different from weather. Weather is the state of atmosphere at a place and time as regards heat, cloudiness, wind and rain (CCIR-NYC 2005, p. 1). However, climate is a region’s weather patterns in a relatively long period (CCIR-NYC 2005, p. 1). The CCIR-NYC (2005, p. 1) claims that the variations of the state of climate on space and time are the dominant features of climate change. It is reported that global average temperature has...
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...and according to NASA, it is an un-debated fact that the average temperature on Earth has increased one and a half degrees over this time period (NASA). There is a wide range of thoughts and opinions on the relatively recent issue of global warming. To some people, global warming is out of our hands. Therefore, it is a non-issue. Others feel that the opportunity cost of trying to prevent it is too high, especially because global warming isn’t blatantly causing any suffering on a daily basis. The perspective I have towards global warming is one that is bearing a more inconvenient, burdensome argument. This is that human activity is causing the temperatures of the Earth to rise at an unnatural pace with the widespread emission of greenhouse gases. The purpose of this argument is to raise awareness through scientific and statistical studies that humans are to blame for this trend in climate change, and that there could be significant consequences to not taking preventative measures. To absolutely prove that humans are to blame, we would need a replica Earth with no humans inhabiting it to compare temperatures. Since this is impossible, we must rely on the data that science gives us to make inferences based on whether or not our planet is in danger. I believe that simply raising awareness may be beneficial to spreading knowledge and to jumpstart the prevention of potentially harsh consequences. As mentioned earlier in the text,...
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...detrimental effects of fossil fuel consumption, some politicians and many others in the United States were still arguing otherwise. In Issue 8, Seth Schulman argued that this was due to the oil industry’s brilliant “disinformation campaign.” Modeled after the tobacco industry’s strategy to fool the public on the harmful effects of smoking, ExxonMobil employed tactics such as creating uncertainty, laundering information, hiring fake scientists to back their efforts, shifting the focus of the debate, and lobbying government officials to stir up doubts on global warming. With regards to the opposition, Ivan Osorio used those same tactics previously mentioned to refute the scientific fact. Instead of focusing on the actual climate changes due to anthropogenic greenhouse gases, Osorio shifted the focus to the people who believed in it. He used inflammatory words such as “jihad” and associated them with the scientists who...
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...People against the Earth: Cycle of melting of ice caps in the environment It is very shocking to see how many people do not have the knowledge or the interest to educate themselves about one of the biggest issues of the Earth. There are many articles about the climate change in general, but this essay will answer a question what are the effects of melting ice caps on climate change? Firstly what is global warming and what is climate change? Global warming is just the Earth’s rising surface temperature and climate change is a bigger category and global warming is one part of its category. In another words global warming is one issue of a much larger problem of human caused climate change. Both of them are a commonly talked about issue among scientists since it causes many changes in the environment including the melting of ices which has an effect on all parts of the world. Because of the sea level rising there are, even if it is not a rapid increase, many devastating effects on land habitants, and also there is a threat of the next ice age. Firstly the melting of polar ice caps can affect countries, as continents. A lot of parts of the “now known” continents would totally disappear under the ocean; which would mean that people that live there now, would lose their homes and the number of people per square foot would rise rapidly. The sunk parts of the countries would affects also the fauna and flora. It is clear that many species are dying out now and also...
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...the mass media. As time continues on into the future one can also look at the timeline of controversial topics throughout history and see how the public perception has also changed as time has progressed. The change of public opinions overtime may very well be due to the fact of how the media presents the topic to the public. The portrayal of a certain controversial subject can either demonize or glorify a particular topic all depending on the public’s mindset during that specific time and the presentation of the story. Such specific controversial topics overtime to name which created this bias include: Freedom of Speech, African-American rights, women’s rights, racism, and the topic of In God We Trust vs. Freedom of Religion in America. These are just a few to name from previous years as today’s ethical issues include: war, same sex- marriages, legalization of marijuana, divorce, crime increase, equality, and Global Warming. The different forms of communication that have been used to reach the mass media overtime are the newspaper, telegraph, radio, magazines, television, and internet. The definition of the news can be classified into two concepts. “News and newsworthiness”, that means that the main objective of the press is to release information about significant changes that can affect a large group of people or possibly society as a whole (Vivian, 2011). Television reporter’s main intent is to always stay away from sounding biased, which means both debating parties should be...
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...EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF VIET NAM Literature Review 3 I. General 3 1. Geographical location & Vietnam’s climate 3 a. Geographical location 3 b. Climate 3 2. Effects of geographical & climate on Vietnam’s economy: 6 a. Effects of geographical location to Vietnam’s economy: 6 II. Definition, causes and actual situation of Viet Nam under climate change 7 1. Definition of climate change 8 2. Causes of climate change: 8 a. Natural causes 8 b. Human causes 9 c. Greenhouse gases and their sources 9 3. Actual situation in Vietnam: 12 III. Impact of Climate change on Viet Nam economy 14 1. Impact of Climate change on economy in general: 14 2. Climate change directly affects every economic sector 15 a. Impacts of climate change on agriculture, forestry and fisheries 15 b. Impact of climate change on industry sector 20 c. .Impacts of climate change on tourism sector 20 d. Impacts of climate change in components of the economy. 22 IV. Policies to deal with problems caused by climate change 26 1. Opportunities 26 2. Meeting the Challenges of Climate Change 26 The Three Approaches in Brief: 27 References 35 Literature Review There are many studies that have examined the effects of climate change on Vietnam’s economy. The majority of findings stated that climate change have negative impacts on Vietnam’s economy and suggest possible adaptation or mitigation measures to lessen the adverse impacts. The economies of some countries...
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...ECONOMICS WORLD TRADE AND ENVIORNMENT ISSUES AND POLICIES SEPTEMBER 2015 BY VIDUR KANODIA HR COLLEGE OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMICS MCOM – I DIVISION – M ROLL NUMBER – 28 Objective This paper provides an overview of trade, environmental, and related public issues and policies. It discusses the pollution problem, the recent global warming trend, the attempts of world’s various levels of institutions such as the UN, the WTO, regional, national, and other organizations to solve the global trade and environmental issues. It also discusses a number of basic theoretical issues and empirical findings such as the free-rider problem, tragedy of the commons, theory of second best, relative efficacy of price and quantity control, carbon leakage, border carbon adjustments, cap-and-trade system, pollution haven hypothesis, optimal social discount rate and the environmental Kuznets curve. Some computable general equilibrium models are reviewed and several notable WTO environmental and health-related trade dispute cases are analyzed, including the tuna-dolphin, shrimp-turtle, eco-labeling, beef- hormone, and GMOs cases. Introduction Trade liberalization can have substantial ramifications for the global environmental policy regime. Lowering trade barriers and opening new markets can boost economic growth and development, which may help or harm the environment. On the one hand, growth and development tend to increase resource and energy demands, degrade natural resources, and bring forth...
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...Types and Uses of Renewable Energy and Their Influences DeVry University LAS-432 Professor Anthony Baker Team E Vincent Murr, Alisia Ngo, Mark Pick, Kristine Reed & Venrick Richards 02/25/14 Contents Introduction-Alisia Ngo 3 The Uses and Science of renewable Energy 7 History of Renewable Energy- Vincent Murr 10 Political Influence-Vincent Murr 15 Impact on the economy – Mark Pick 20 Cultural Issues-Kristine Reed 31 Environmental Effects- Kristine Reed 34 Moral and Ethical Concerns-Venrick Richards 38 Conclusion-Venrick Richards 46 References 50 Introduction-Alisia Ngo Throughout the 20th and 21st century, fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum, and natural gas have been essential to our way of life. In the past several decades scientists have warned that coal and oil have been diminishing and that it could take thousands of years for the earth to replenish what we have already used. With that being said finding other resources of energy is crucial to the conservation of our way of life as we know it. Evidence has shown that the U.S. relies heavily on oil, coal, and natural gas for its energy. So finding new ways to substitute these sources of energy through renewable energy like wind, and sunlight needs to be a high priority for local and state governments nationwide. In this paper I will explain why the need for renewable energy is so important to the environment and our way of life. I will speak specifically on the many types of renewable...
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