Modern people are obsessed with creating the best and most suitable living conditions without even thinking about how dangerous their activities can be in the context of global warming. Increased sea levels lead to floods, a warming Earth explains continuous fires, and temperature shifts provoke unexpected storms and natural disasters. All these are examples of how global warming is progressing, and human beings are the main sources of such changes. Regular contributions to greenhouse gas emissions, burning fossil fuels to generate electricity, and destroying forests to create new houses are all human-made causes of global warming (Butler). Climate change should be defined as one of the biggest threats to humanity because of continuous disruptions in nature, the progress of serious illnesses, and a limited desire to take action and secure the human future.
One of the most critical aspects of global warming is the inability of populations to predict, manage, and decrease natural disruptions due to their inconsistency and poor cooperation between available resources. Many profit and non-profit organizations develop their discussions and create reports about carbon emissions changes. According to the International Energy Agency (2019, qtd. in Parncutt), global emissions increased by 2.2% during the last ten years and continue to grow despite the already made preventive efforts. In addition, clearing forests and burning fossil fuels contribute to the greenhouse effect (Butler). Temperature rise by 2°C can be insignificant for an ordinary person, but environmental experts know it might lead to a large natural crisis (Kemp et al.). All these factors show that people want to change something and protect their planet from a disaster, but climate changes are impossible to control, and the level of disruption aggravates significantly. Even if experts focus on education and the distribution of information among populations, they would not be able to cover all geographical peculiarities. Most natural disasters are unpredictable, which makes human beings weak and unprepared for the threats of global warming.
Another strong argument that proves the threatening impact of global warming is the rise of severe diseases and heat-related deaths. It is impossible to neglect the fact that human health directly depends on the environment and weather conditions. Butler admits that existential risks do not mean that global civilization should collapse. However, health risks can worsen with rising temperatures, imposed migration, and famine (Kemp et al.). Inadequate nutrition, poor access to natural resources, and unsafe water provoke additional health problems like overweight, obesity, cardiovascular disease, renal complications, and damaged skin (Butler; Parncutt). People may take a variety of precautionary measures like vaccination, regular checkups, and safety or hygiene standards. Still, when poor weather causes an influenza pandemic, or a person has bone fractures in a hurricane, even the most thoughtful programs and recommendations do not help to prevent health-related damage. Despite the obtained power and resources, humans are helpless in the face of a natural disaster. Global warming is a critical root of many catastrophes and has to be recognized as a threat to the citizens of developed and developing countries.
Finally, people’s arrogance that global warming is not a current but future problem explains their inaction and poor adaptation to constantly growing climate risks. Even being properly aware of climate change and its relation to human activities, scientists have multiple disagreements about their future. For example, the fragmentation of science and the inability to fund extensive natural research are frequently observed (Butler). People are more interested in spending money on technological progress and innovations instead of protecting natural resources and measuring their interference with the natural world. Some nations are ready to use their abilities to gain independence and superiority over others, missing the truth that climate change unfolds regardless of geopolitics or technology (Kemp et al.). There are many well-known proverbs about chasing two hares or having a bird in the hands that can be applied to explain the threat of global warming. The number of controversies increases because people want to grasp as many fields for improvement as possible at the same time: technology for food production, medicine for disease treatment, or diplomacy for conflict resolution (Parncutt). Being poorly recognized as a threat, global warming can destroy humanity.
In general, there are many reasons for people to understand that global warming has to be recognized as a serious threat to humanity. Some individuals believe that their independent decisions to protect nature or enhance healthy lifestyles can be enough to predict global warming. However, climate change is no longer a problem that has to be discussed at the individual or even national level. It is a serious global concern that does not affect a group of people but the whole planet. Natural disasters, life-threatening illnesses, and low activities are the current arguments that explain how unpredictable the level of danger is. Even the safest places in the world cannot protect the human race from extinction. Climate change is a threat that should not be ignored or postponed, and improved awareness of global warming may unite nations and reveal their strengths and resources for human sake.
Works Cited
Butler, Colin D. “Climate Change, Health and Existential Risks to Civilization: A Comprehensive Review (1989–2013).” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 15, no. 10, 2018. MDPI, doi:10.3390/ijerph15102266.
Kemp, Luke, et al. “Climate Endgame: Exploring Catastrophic Climate Change Scenarios.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 119, no. 34, 2022. PubMed, doi:10.1073/pnas.2108146119.
Parncutt, Richard. “The Human Cost of Anthropogenic Global Warming: Semi-Quantitative Prediction and the 1,000-Tonne Rule.” Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 10, 2019. PubMed Central, doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02323.