The Pros And Cons Of Climate Change

“Taken as a whole, the range of published evidence indicates that the net damage costs of climate change are likely to be significant and to increase over time.” (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) There are many different observable effects on the Earth due to climate change. Scientists have stated that global temperatures will continue to rise; this is due in a large part to greenhouse gas emissions. The IPCC also states that the different regions will have various types of changes. In the northeast, it is predicted that there will be heat waves, heavy downpours and a rise in the sea level. The northwest will see a reduction in the water supply, as well as a rise in sea level. There will also be erosion, insect outbreaks and an increase

According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, “Renewable energy — wind, solar, geothermal, hydroelectric, and biomass — provides substantial benefits for our climate, our health, and our economy.” One major benefit is that there would be little to no global warming emissions. Currently, electricity production accounts for about one-third of the emissions put off by the United States, mostly due to coal-fired plants. Renewable energy sources would produce little to no emissions. “According to data aggregated by the International Panel on Climate Change, life-cycle global warming emissions associated with renewable energy—including manufacturing, installation, operation and maintenance, and dismantling and decommissioning—are minimal” When comparing renewable sources to natural gas, which emits between 0.6 and 2 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt-hour (CO2E/kWh), renewable sources such as wind, solar and hydro-electrical power emit somewhere between .07 and .5 (CO2E/kWh). It is obvious that renewable energy is the way to go in order to solve the energy production problem. (Benefits of Renewable Energy