Executive Summary
Global warming poses a unique challenge to world major economies including US. Yet, current mechanisms adopted by national governments specifically United States are insufficient to prepare for the negative impacts caused by this disaster.
According to (Bily, 2006), global warming is the average persistent increase in the atmospheric temperature near the earth’s surface leading to changes in global climate patterns over a given period of time.
This paper is designed to address the issue of global warming and to explain two opposite point of views on its impact. Some of us might be skeptical on the topic ‘global warming’ prodigies and the potential impact it has on our economy. Without any doubt, some of the chemicals emitted to the atmosphere have extremely long term negative effects, hitherto, the federal government has no mandate to enforce compliance measures for some of these threats that can potentially harm our economy.
The nation instead is relying on US Climate Change Action Plan which adopts non compulsory programs to specific market sectors to reduce these emissions. Although the impacts are always unlikely, they are plausible. The congress must therefore make a radical decision lest our children not revel the sweet ocean breeze and the cool atmosphere we are releasing today.
Discussion
Global warming has led to an persistent increase in average summer temperatures. The increase in temperature level has started since 1981 while the most serious and high temperature has been recorded in 1970.
Even though there has been a substantial reduction in solar output while still the surface temperature has continued to rise. Nowadays summer days last longer than before besides being unbearable. In fact, in the Blue Ridge foothills on the Southeastern part of US, the temperature is always at 70s with the leaves showing their bright autumn colors.
This is an evidence of global warming that has started and will continue eroding our country’s economy if not addressed in timmely manner. Occurrence of hurricanes such as Katrina will be more destructive than occurance in a year of 2005 which cost the economy over $125 billion. Increased high temperature raises the probability of drought and instigate wildfires especially in grassland and forest areas. (Bily, 2006)
Global warming has led to multiple floods and droughts. Some of the latest statistics shows that floods have seriously hit 14 countries in Africa, UK, Malaysia, North Korea and the Midwest of the US, while drought and water shortages have in the past, plagued areas of the Middle East and the South Eastern US.
These crucial impacts should not be ignored if we are passionate about this country. Let us not put our children’s future on the environmental limbo, when today we have the opportunity to adopt those strategies that can save the future of this nation. (Jenkins.& Jackson ,2012).
First of all, global warming has serious negative effect on health of course. Greater part of North America in 2006 has experienced great heat wave leading to deaths of over 140 people including those having air conditioner installed. In 2003, the situation was worse in Europe when almost 70,000 lives were lost. Widespread outbreaks of diseases such as Malaria, dengue fever, tick borne encephalitis, have increased in the past due to alternating periods of drought and deluges. (Jenkins.& Jackson ,2012).
The thickness of Arctic sea and green land ice sheets have reduced, while Antarctica had lost almost 152 cubic kilometers by 2005.
All these calamities notwithstanding, we still doubt the reality of global warming. We still have some doubts in regards to the calculations made on the basis of existing data. Some of us therefore think that the increase in temperatures could be a natural occurrence. Finally some pessimists’ argue that adoption of policy on emissions and carbon production could lead to loss of jobs in the country. Despite all these, global warming is not a fiction as some of us tend to believe, it is a reality that is with us. (Haugen, Musser & Lovelace ,2010).
Conclusion
Scientists and other professionals have conflicting opinions on the evidence of global warming. Regardless of all these opinions, it is a fact that chemicals with extreme life times are emitted to the atmosphere, though there effects and long term impacts are not fully known.
It is axiomatic to argue that there is a need for a more comprehensive research on how these emissions can be reduced or stopped. Basing on negative evidences which are presented in this paper, it is a fact that our economy will be at limbo when environmental concerns are not addressed in time.
As a congress, we must think of the present and the future generation, just the way the founding fathers of United States of America laid a foundation for us. The citizens of this country have entrusted us with the power to make these solemn declaration that global warming is a disaster which must be treated with all sense of urgency it deserves. Let us think ‘favorable temperatures’, let us think ‘green environment’, and let us think of the future generation. May God bless United States of America.
References
Bily, C.A. (2006). Global warming, Greenhaven Press: San Diego.
Haugen, D. M., Musser S., Lovelace K.,(2010). Global warming. Greenhaven press:Detroit.
Jenkins, A.& Jackson R. (2012). Global climate change: How do we know?National Aerotics and Space Administration. Web.